Demons and Love
by thechickenlittle
Summary: During a fierce battle, Chrono and Rosette are cursed! A curse that says, "...he will tear you apart, from within..." (lemon in chp.15, mature readers only)
1. Default Chapter

Hello! My name's the ChickenLittle2000, and this is my first Chrono Crusade fic. Please let me know what you think of it!!

I don't own anything, even my feet.

Chap: A boarding house of the........

It was late night in the city of New York. Gas lights were lit everywhere, sending light to the darkest alleyways of town. On the outskirts of one of the richer neighborhoods, a Ford GT was parked in a street not far from a girls' sororiety house.

"So they believe that this entire boarding house's residents are all under the control of some kind of demon?" Father Remington asked from his place in the driver's seat.

"That's what Sister Kate told us," Rosette replied from the back. "According to the reports, about two weeks ago, the girls started to bring men over to the house. Since its against the house's policies, the whole neighborhood knew about it, so they kept watch. They all started to notice that no one ever saw the men leave the house. More and more men were being brought to the house each night, but not one of them was seen after that."

"Sounds like it's the same type of demon we faced back out in the harbor last year," Chrono replied. "Whatever kind of demon it is, its feeding off of the men's latent astral energies."

Rosette frowned. "Why just the men's? You'd think that women would be more desirable, since we can give birth. Wouldn't that make us a better target?"

Chrono blushed as Remington answered the nun's question. "Women do have the ability to draw astral to them, but only when pregnant. Men's latent astral levels are normally higher than a woman's because of their natural use of energy."

"Oh. That makes some sense. So, how are we supposed to get in there? I mean, are the girls all possessed?"

"That's probably the case. The elder made a special kind of spell-charm for us to use." He held out two small rosaries. "The first is spelled to make the bearer invisible to demonic sight. Its based on the theory that devils can see auras no matter what the level of astral they posses. This should mute the aura so that, while it can't make you truly invisible, it would make you extremely unoticible. We haven't tested it yet, but this should prove to be a good opportunity to do so."

Chrono frowned in mild confusion, along with Rosette. "Um, Father Remington? You know, I could help with that....."

The blonde man's eyes went wide, and then he shook his head in exasperation. "I swear, that old man really must be loosing his mind." He held out the rosary to the girl. "Put this around your wrist."

"Okay." She slipped it over her hand and waited. She glanced over at Chrono. "Any difference?" She asked.

"Actually, yes," the demon replied in surprise. "Its not that I can't see you, its just that you—it's a little hard to explain. I mean, all living things have an aura, even some objects have it. That's how devils can tell if something's alive or not. But that rosary just made all of yours disappear."

"So it works?" the priest asked.

"You bet it works! To a devil's sight, Rosette's about the same as a piece of rock."

"Good. And if you want to extend that protection to Chrono," he nodded to Rosette, "then be sure you're both touching. The aura will expand to cover him as well."

"Now that's the cat's meow," the boy devil nodded.

"Then let us not dawdle. We have work to do." He stepped out of the car along with the others. "You two try and sneak in through the back. I'll keep the girls distracted so you won't have to use any force on them."

"Right. Um, Father Remington?" Rosette paused before moving on, her gaze concerned as she eyed the priest. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

The blonde gave a light smile in return. "Oh yes. You see, this other rosary acts as a containment shield. It prevents my own energies from leaving my body."

"Making you immune to the devil's abilities," Chrono nodded in understanding as he hoisted the portable armory. "Good luck to you," the demon said softly as he and nun raced off.

"And you both as well," the man nodded in reply. Squaring his shoulders, he began to walk up to the front door. It opened just as he reached the bottom step, and a lovely young woman stepped forward to greet him, demonic aura pouring off her in waves.......

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	2. Curses!

The chick, back at it. Hope you like this chap too!

Don't own the devil or his nun, but maybe one of those killer repeller guns.....

Chap: curses

"You know, I could have been the bait for this, and he wouldn't have to go to such trouble," Chrono grumbled slightly as the two of them crouched near the servants entrance door.

"You? Chrono, I don't know if you've noticed, but you look a little young for their tastes. Not every woman on earth is like Satella."

"Don't even mention that god-awful woman!" he hissed. "She's scary."

"True. Although, if you did walk up to the house in your true form, you'd have the entire house all over you," the nun noted with a considering expression.

Chrono's eyes went wide at her comment and he blushed. Did she mean what he thought she—

"Look! The door's unlocked," the girl said as she twisted the knob. It opened with hardly a sound and the two of them quietly entered. The lights were very dim in the hallway, and there were odd stains on the carpet. Chrono scented the air a few times and recoiled. "Ugh! The whole place reeks!"

A smell of faint rotting blew from the doorway and Rosette frowned. "Of the men?"

"Yeah. My guess is that the girls have got the bodies hidden somewhere around here. I'm amazed the neighbors haven't noticed that smell yet."

"Well, don't think about it now. We need to find out where that devil is. Can you sense anything?"

The demon closed his eyes to try and focus on the auras around him. Blinking to clear his vision, he pointed to the right. "It feels like its upstairs."

"Lets go then."

They crept down the hall, pausing at the sound of footsteps approaching. Both scrambled for some kind of door just as one of the possessed girls walked into sight. She glanced down the hall, looking right at them, but simply moved on.

Rosette tried to breathe normally again as she and Chrono fell out of the doorway. "I guess that rosary works on possessed humans too."

"That's good to know," he said, helping her up from where she'd tripped. He froze as the same girl walked back to the hall, this time looking for the source of such noise. She looked down the hall once more, glaring at the empty space before stomping back out. They could hear the girl muttering, "I could have sworn I heard something....."

"Um, I guess it doesn't muffle noise," he whispered tensely.

"Guess not," Rossette replied, trying to calm down from her near heart attack. She glanced down and blushed. "Um, you can let go of me now."

Chrono glanced down to where their hands were still joined in a white knuckled grip and blushed furiously. "Um, I, uh—sorry." He let go of her hand, putting his own back on her shoulder to keep his aura hidden. "We—we should get moving."

"Right." They began to quickly move through the house, pausing like statues each time one of the occupants looked their way. With careful maneuvering, they managed to reach the upstairs, scanning for the room that held the devil. A door at the end of the hallway was partially ajar, and Chrono motioned his head towards it. "That's the one."

"Let's—"

"Ladies, ladies, are you sure this is nesecary?"

Both froze at the sound of the familiar voice. Father Remington? They crept forward as soundlessly as they could to check. A quick glance in the room revealed the story.

The rosary was crackling around him as the girls kept reaching out to try and lead him further into the room. Their eyes had gone from normal human tones to the red of demonic energy, and they kept trying to push him towards the back wall. Behind a large desk, sitting in a wingback chair, was an old—very old—woman.

"A woman? I thought you said this thing feeds on male energy!" Rossette hissed.

"Because men have more at any one time! Not to mention, the demon might be male, just in a female body," Chrono whispered.

Rosette cocked an eyebrow. That sounded very, very wrong. She shook her head. "But now, how do we get the demon out of her? I don't want to hurt an old lady!"

"We'll have to use holy water. Just splash her with some and it should drive the demon out of her," the boy replied.

"Right, but what about the others?"

"You mean the girls? We'd have to kill the demon to get rid of the hold its got over them."

"So old lady first, then the girls?"

"Right."

"Good plan. Now how do we get Father Remington out of there?"

"I think he can handle it himself," the devil replied wryly as the priest suddenly lunged, a silver phial flying open from his hand. Holy water sprayed everywhere, singeing the girls wherever it struck. But the old woman, who received the majority of it, barely twitched in reaction, even though the water burned like acid across her body. The three exorsists stared in shock as the woman rose from her chair, seemingly unruffled.

A hoarse voice came from the possessed, "You pitiful humans. You really think you can hurt me now?" Skin began to rip and tear off the woman's body, the clothing falling away. "This body has served its purpose, and now I can finally regain my real form." The old woman's flesh fell off, her skeleton turning to sick green slime as it slid off the demon's true form. Spikes and slimed skin grew everywhere, making Rosette turn a little green in disgust, and she'd seen some nasty stuff.

Chrono stiffened as the demon's form solidified. He recognized that demon. That was Taj-mere, the spell demon, a high ranking lord of Pandemonium. One of the most deadly Pursuers Pandemonia had ever birthed. If he was here in his real form, they were in serious trouble.

The spell, no longer needed to fuel the demon's body, had been broken, and now the remaining girls stared in horror at the monster before them. Rosette finally moved, lunging forward to grab one of the girls' arms. "Move!" She shouted, pulling the startled girl into the hall. "Run, get out of here!" The girls immediately ran for the door, nearly running over Chrono and Rosette in their panic. "I hate high heels," a distinctly stomped Chrono said as he sat up with a groan. "Never mind that now!" Rosette cried. "Look!"

Remington and the demon were going full force at each other, energy sword against a bone whip. They struck and parried with sickening force, literally sending shockwaves through the room. Furniture was blasted into dust by the force of their hits. Finally, a heavy blow knocked the sword from his hands and forced Remington back against the wall. His head cracked against it hard, and the priest's eyes rolled back in his head, slipping into unconsciousness.

Just as the demon went for the killing blow, two shots rang out through the room, shattering his whip out of his hands. Taj-mere leapt back barely in time to avoid the sacreds, staring at the door. Rosette stared back at it with hardened eyes. "Don't you move another muscle, demon."

"Who's there?" He hissed. His green eyes scanned the room for any sign of whoever had spoken, his body tensing to attack.

"Just us!" Rosette shouted as she leapt forward, guns blazing. The demon sank low, avoiding the first volley before ignoring the girl and going straight for-- Rosette nearly kicked herself. The moment she'd gone forward, she'd moved too far for the rosary's aura to protect Chrono!

The demon was attacking the first thing it had seen, despite Rosette shooting at it. Chrono rolled to dodge the attack, and desperately trying to avoid Rosette's bullets. She managed two shots before pulling back. She couldn't risk hitting Chrono. She reached for the watch---

Taj-mere sprang forward, swiping his claws down and leaving a nasty gash across the boy's chest. The force of it threw Chrono back, leaving an opening for the nun. She rushed forth, gun out and firing with killing precision. The bullets drove the demon back towards the desk, its blood spilling all over the floor.

Rosette went quickly to Chrono's side, crouching down to touch his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, its just a bad-(hiss)-scrape"—

"Yeah, and I'm Queen Victoria. You rest here, I'll take care of ugly."

He reached a hand for her arm, "Be careful, Rosette. He's not your ordinary demon. Don't let him touch you."

"Huh? What happens if"- the demon suddenly roared, charging forward for one last strike, to at least take the shooter out with him. She rolled, the rosary breaking from the impact.

"There you are, you bitch!" Taj-mere shouted. He let his claws do the talking then, striking time and again to draw blood, not letting the girl get enough room to fire her gun. He finally managed to force her to the wall to get in a blow, Rosette's blood slicing over his claws when—

BLAM!

"You shouldn't have touched her," Chrono growled darkly, the gun smoking in his hands. He pulled himself up off the floor, nearly slipping in all the blood. "Rosette?! Are you alright?!"

She groaned as she picked herself out of the wall. "My back is killing me, but other than that everything's Jake." She stared at him for a moment. "Hey, Chrono? I never knew you were a twin."

"What?" the devil's eyes widened in concern. "Oh, crap, are you having double vision?"

She shook her head to clear it. "Not anymore. This going to be a right lovely headache, I can tell."

Chrono sighed in relief. "Enough with the jokes, okay? What about Father Remington"—

"By the light of a dark moon, (pant), you will consume each other," the demon's voice came harshly as it died. Chrono whirled in silent panic, watching as the demon circled two red tipped fingers together in a pool of blood. "(gack!) You will go mad at the feel—of a touch, yet no hand—will be there, a voice—(cough, hack!)—will speak and no one will be there." The demon's breath gurgled in his lungs, blood spurting from his mouth in a death rattle. "He...will tear you—apart, from---within...."

The demon vaporized, the holy objects finally destroying it. The stolen astral began to slowly seep out of its body, rising in silver twists to the air like smoke. But Chrono stared at the spot it had been in with horror. He didn't know what spell had taken place, but it could only be something bad. Taj-mere had been well known in Pandemonium for his spells' cruelty.

)(&(&

please reveiw!!


	3. Consideration

Some of you are guessing my story, and I'm flattered as hll. Glad people seem to like this story.

I do not own the sexiest demon alive, (with the exception of maybe sesshomaru, since I am an Inuyasha fan originally.) Or his little nun.

(Oh, in my story, I'm officially giving Sister Kate the title of Abbess, since she'd the head honcho of the Order. Technically, an abbess is the head of a nunnery, much as an abbot is the head of a monestary, but I think she deserves the rank.)

Chap: consideration

The sun shone brightly through the large cathedral windows of the head nun's office as she heard her subordinate's report. "So you submitted the horn to the elder, and Fr. Remington is down in the infirmary?"

"Yes, Sister Kate," Rosette nodded. Once everything had calmed down, they'd returned to the abbey, helping a disoriented Remington down to the hospital ward. Rosette and Chrono had been patched up as well, but she was sent off to report to Sister Kate with minor cuts and bruises. Azmaria had offered to take care of Chrono's injury with her song, but he had declined. Her powers should be reserved for something serious, was his opinion.

"And this spell the demon worked? What of that?" The woman asked from her seat behind the desk. "Have either of you noticed anything strange?"

"No ma'am," the girl replied. "Although, the Elder said that I have a slight difference in my aura. He said its nothing to worry about," she hastened to assure the abbess, "its probably from being around too much demonic energy like that. You know, the lost Astral energies?"

"Hmm. I suppose that makes sense. But are you sure you're all right?"

"Oh, I'm fine! Don't worry about me! Worry more about Chrono. He did receive a nasty gash on his chest," the girl said with a sympathetic wince.

"Yes, I heard. Is he comfortable?" The woman shifted a bit, not quite meeting Rosette's eye. As much as she didn't want to trust the demon, he'd proven his devotion to Rosette time and again. She found herself actually starting to like the boy, to her surprise. But it wasn't like she would ever admit it: she did have a reputation to keep.

The nun smiled at the question, "Oh, he's fine, but he _is_ going a little stir crazy with nothing to do down there, so I thought I'd go down and play some cards with him or something"—

"Sister Rosette! Sister Rosette!"

Both nuns whirled as one of the militia men came streaking down the hall, nearly crashing into the abbess's door. The abbess couldn't help but say under her breath, "Rosette giving a calm report, with minimal property damage, I knew it was too good to be true. _Something_ had to happen......"

The man gave a bare nod to Sister Kate before facing Rosette. "Pardon the intrusion, Abbess, but this is quite urgent. They need you down in the infirmary now, young miss. Something is wrong with Chrono."

The girl paled before running out the door, her boots pounding down the hall. The abbess looked over to the militia man, who nodded to her again. He answered her unasked question, "Chrono the demon has somehow transformed, to our knowledge, without the watch's power."

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Sorry its short, that's just how it came out. Please review!!!!


	4. Hooligans!

Holy cow, you all seem to like it!

Well, here's more of Chrono and Rosette, whom I, sadly, do not own.

Chap: hooligans!

Chrono sat perfectly still on the bed, just as confused as the rest of them. The tattered remains of his smaller clothes were hanging off him from when they'd been torn off by his greater size. He was in his true form, to his complete and utter surprise. Of course, his first thought had been that Rosette had opened the seal for some reason, but feeling a lack of the girl's energy negated that theory. Since there were no disturbances to cause her to use the watch, he was officially stumped. And officially worried by what all was happening.

But really, wasn't this a bit much? He spoke slowly so as to not spook anyone. "Um, sirs? You really don't have to keep the guns on me."

Over twenty men of the militia had come at the sound of the commotion and, seeing Chrono transformed, all of them had drawn their weapons, keeping them leveled on the surprised devil. One of the men smiled back, replying, "Better safe than sorry, eh?" The devil nodded his head in reluctant understanding, glancing over at Fr. Remington. The man was shaking his head in amusement at the boy's misfortune. Chrono raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "You're loving this, aren't you?"

"I admit, the sight does give me some amusement," the priest answered. "After all, its not every day you see a demon in his night shirt."

Chrono looked down at the now tiny shirt that barely covered anything in his true form. Right now it was hugging his chest and torsoworse than glued paper mache,and he blushed in embarrassment just as Rosette came running into the room. She took one look at everything going on, from the slightly panicked look on Chrono's face to the twenty-odd guns aimed at him by some of the militia men and her eye twitched a bit. Recognizing the signs, Chrono went to duck and cover as Rosette let loose on all the men present.

"_HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU BUNCH OF BULLIES!?_ HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ANYMORE THAN YOU DO, HOW **_DARE_** YOU AIM GUNS AT HIM—"

Seeing the look that she was glaring at them, the devil tried to divert her wrath. "Um, Rosette?" Chrono hesitantly asked.

"I'M GOING TO SIC _SISTER KATE_ ON _ALL_ OF YOU, AND I HOPE YOU'RE GOOD AND READ TO MEET YOUR MAKER 'CAUSE IF SHE DOESN'T BEAT YOU UP"—

He tried again, getting a little afraid at that look of high holy wrath in her eyes. "Rosette?"

"THAN _I_ WILL YOU PACK OF—OF"—

"Hooligans?" Remington supplied with a delighted smile.

"THAT'S RIGHT, YOU _ARE_ A PACK OF HOOLIGANS!!"

"Oh, god, don't encourage her," Chrono groaned, covering his eyes with one hand.

"But its so much fun," the priest replied.

Rosette whirled at that. "AND WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU---um," the girl blushed furiously at the sight of the man, instantly lowering her voice. "Um, what are you still doing here, Father?"

"Convalescing," he replied. "That, and watching the entertainment." He gestured the few men still remaining after her ranting. The poor men literally trembled when she looked back at them, suddenly breaking form and racing each other out of the room. The nun blushed terribly at causing tremendous chaos _again_.

And who should walk into the room but Sister Kate, followed by the Elder and the resident doctor. All three of them marched up to the bed that kept Chrono, who was shaking his head at the shenanigans. He looked up, and on seeing them, got up from the bed to greet them properly. "Hello, Sister, Elder, doctor—um, sir? I don't think I caught your name?"

"Micheal St. Justice," the stoic man answered, extending his hand for the devil to shake. He was tall, in his late thirties, with short brown hair and tired green eyes. "You may call me Doc. And you may also sit back down before the abbess gets a nosebleed from blushing." The devil started before glancing over to the nun, who was indeed bright red from blushing and looking off to the side. Rosette, too, was turning bright red. He frowned in confusion before the Elder caught his eye and gestured for him to look down. He did so—

He stared. "Eeep!" He leapt back onto the bed, curling up so that the shirt now could at least cover his essentials. The poor devil thought he would catch fire from blushing. The older man came over to him, grinning. "I've never seen anyone get that girl so quiet. Good job, my boy."

"S-s-s-sir! Ma'am! I'm sorry!" The devil desperately tried to get his blushing under control. "I didn't mean to—um, that is, I"—'_What the hell should I say? Sorry, didn't mean to flash any of you?'_

"D-don't worry," the woman said, scrambling for her composure. "I didn't see—much."

Rosette snickered as she recovered from her blush, quietly murmuring, "Way to go, Chrono. You pervert."

"What?!" he blushed even redder.

"Alright, everybody, calm down. We need to think about this rationally now," the doctor said with a trace of amusement at the girl's antics. "Chrono, can you think of any reason that this would happen to you? Is there any sort of precedence for this that you remember?"

"No, I've never transformed like this, even when I had my horns." The devil cocked his head thinking as he calmed. "Since Rosette's not using the watch, I would need an alternate source of power, and a strong one at that. But I can't think of anything that would—"

"I've got it!" The elder shrieked suddenly, nearly giving the abbess a heart attack. "The spell!"

"The spell?" Chrono and Rosette echoed.

St. Justice frowned. "What spell?"

"Of course! Chrono's body is unconsciously absorbing the spell's demonic energy, like having a battery plugged in. So long as the spell is still in effect, Chrono should remain in his true form," the old man said excitedly as the abbess explained what had gone on to the doctor.

Most of those gathered frowned at that. "To even transform him requires a great deal of energy," Sister Kate said softly. "How powerful is this spell to sustain it for this long, or even longer?"

"And what could its effects be upon Rosette?" Remington asked the room at large. Chrono winced at the implications of it. Something so powerful, what could it do to the human girl standing beside him?

Rosette looked troubled as well, at everyone's stare. Finally she couldn't take it anymore—

"_What are you all looking at!?"_

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Dun, dun, dun! Please review!!


	5. tracing the way

Happy turkey day!! Hope you all had a great holiday, and here a little something for you all! Hope you like it, for now, the plot thickens!!!

Chap: Tracing the way…..

"I do not _believe_ this! This is so unfair!" the devil fumed.

"Ah, quit complaining. It could be worse," the nun replied.

"How?"

"We could be confined to bed rest until this all blows over."

"Oh, god forbid, stuck in a room with you in a bed for who knows how long—"

"You're just upset because I'm winning," she snapped back with a scowl. "Now shut up and ante in. Jokers are wild card again."

Both Rosette and Chrono had been confined to the infirmary ward until further notice. While Chrono's wound had healed instantly on transforming, he was kept for observation and on bed rest for another day. St. Justice was fascinated with the speed of his demonic healing, and was hoping to make some kind of serum or formula that could stimulate that kind of healing in humans. The man had rattled on about 'metabolic hypertension', or something like that. He was currently studying the devil's blood in his lab.

Remington was currently sleeping deeply thanks to his pain medication for the raging headaches he'd had as a result of his injuries. To be sure they didn't disturb him, the two had moved to the far edge of the hall, setting up their beds down there. Out of sheer boredom, Chrono had borrowed one of the smaller tables while Rosette went in search of a decent deck of cards. She'd brought a deck back, and a couple of marbles, jacks, and cotton balls. When he'd asked what all of that junk was for, she'd replied that that junk was their tokens.

Rosette rolled her eyes as she tapped her cards against her nose. So far she'd won three thousand and eight hundred dollars off the unlucky devil. (Of their own version of poker/gin/rummy chips, rather than money. Like nuns or devils actually made that much off a church salary, ever.) This round, Chrono had finally resorted to betting parts of his body out of desperation. With any luck, he'd manage to get his money back. However, things did not look good. Rosette was currently the proud owner of his left calf, right foot, and even his tail.

Things had at first been awkward between the two of them. After all, its not every day your best friend suddenly grows to double his height, width, and weight in less than two minutes and stays that way. He'd morphed out of his jacket and battle armor, in the attempt to make people a bit more comfortable around him without the spikes and dark colors. Someone, probably the Elder, had rustled up some clothes for the devil, and he was currently wearing a white button up shirt with black dress slacks that were just an inch too short on his long frame. They'd had no luck so far finding him a decent pair of shoes that someone would part with.

Rosette had to admit that Chrono was extremely attractive in his demon from, and she was desperately trying not to blush around him. (Not that he wasn't cute in his child form, but hey, she wasn't Satella.) But after he'd started teasing her after catching one of those blushes, things had gone back to normal.

"Gin!!" the girl called out with manic glee.

"Dammit, Rosette, isn't gambling a sin?!" Chrono said, frustrated, as he tossed in his cards. There went his left arm.

"You're one to talk! You're called a Sinner for the love of!"

"Oi!! That has nothing to do with this! Are you cheating!?"

"No, you rube!!" She suddenly broke out laughing at the look on his face. She nearly snorted as she pointed at him. "If you could see your face right now!"

He smiled sarcastically. "Yeah, well, I have to put up with seeing your face every day"—

She decked him with a pillow, still laughing. He smiled in exasperation at her, shaking his head and nearly spitting feathers. "What am I going to do with you?" He asked rhetorically.

Her answer was instantly forgotten when she felt it. A single claw was lightly tracing up and down the side of her neck, making goose bumps rise on her skin. The claw gently scraped her nape, circling around to her ear---

"Dammit, Chrono! That's not funny!" She instantly lunged over the table and knuckled his head, blushing furiously the whole while.

"Hey, hey, hey!! What was that for!?" he said, waving his arms in protest as he tried to dodge.

"You touched my ear! You perv!"

"What?" His face displayed nothing but honest confusion. "Rosette, I was over here. I didn't lay a finger on you."

She frowned in confusion. "But—but I know I felt a claw on my ear. And my neck."

"Sure you aren't just imagining things?" He smiled cockily, "I know how bad you want me, but this is"—

She decked him with another pillow, nearly knocking over the table. He scrambled to get everything up while she started grabbing feathers that had escaped the casing. Both took one look at the situation and laughed lightly. She smiled at him, "You know, I hardly ever hear you laugh. I like the sound of it."

Both of his eyebrows went up in surprise. "You do?"

"Sure! It means that at least for one minute, you're happy."

The devil smiled at her words as he finished righting the table. It was because of her that he could dare dream of being happy. She sat back down, and shuffled the cards again. "Five-card stud?"

He quickly shook his head at that. "No way, no more betting. Thanks to you, I'm so poor I can't even pay attention."

"Oh come on, how are you ever gonna get your arm back if you don't take a r"—

Rosette suddenly lost all her train of thought as warm breath blew on her ear. She shivered at the feel of it, then the sudden sensation of warm, soft lips on the nape of her neck, kissing slowly around—there was the touch of a warm cheek against her jaw—

Chrono frowned at her abrupt silence. "Rosette?" She didn't answer, just stared out to a spot right past him. He looked, but saw nothing unusual. "Rosette? What's the matter?" Still she gave no answer, but her eyes slowly fluttered shut, and her head tilted back to the side. As if she was inviting a kiss there.

"R-Rosette? You don't think I'm touching you again, do you?!" '_Man I thought I was just kidding when I said she wanted me, but now I'm a little worried_'—"I'm all the way over here, I'm not laying one single hand on you"—

"You're not," she said, soft and dazedly. "It's not your hand that's touching me."

His crimson eyes widened and he flushed red at what else could be touching her and was about to protest his innocence yet again when her scent hit him. The devil's eyes went huge in shock, as his whole body jerked in response. Wings unconsciously formed and flared out, almost trembling, in the first stages of something he couldn't name. He began to pant and swallowed hard, trying to get back under control—

Her eyes snapped open and she jumped back further on the bed. "C-Chrono?" She murmured worriedly.

"Rosette, are you okay?" The devil asked. He frowned in concern. Her scent had shifted again. Now she smelled frightened.

Her whole face looked panicked as she almost wailed, "Chrono?! What is _happening_ to me?!"

Ha! Now it begins!

Please review!


	6. Commotion

Sorry it took so long, holiday hell is coming for me!

Hope you all like it!

No own the demon boy or his little nun.

Chap: Commotion

The resulting commotion could be heard throughout the abbey. Father Remington stumbled out of his bed and St. Justice came running to see what was wrong to find an enraged Rosette trying to beat Chrono to death, screaming the whole time that this was _all his fault._ After saving the demon from the girl's clutches, they managed to calm her down enough to hear what happened. It took some effort to get it out of her, due to its personal nature.

Both men were worried by what she reported. They consulted everyone in the abbey that had dealt with curses before, but most of them replied that they had never heard of any spell like this before. Azmaria and several other sisters were dispatched to the library to do some serious research while the doctor and elder conferred on what to do.

In the end, the best advice that could be given to the two was to try and separate them, figuring that distance might have some affect on the spell. According to Rosette, it did have some effect, lessening the frequency of the sensations. She was therefore confined to one end of the infirmary and Chrono to the other. This situation did not sit well with either one of them, but by midnight, they had resigned themselves to it.

What everyone had found funny about this was that Rosette had seemed to be doing some kind of dance that involved trying to slap away the invisible touches. Rosette had been heard to comment that those hands were without a doubt several times worse than anything the Elder had ever done to her. The poor girl was furiously turning red the entire time one of the spells happened, since the Elder was observing her the whole time. He claimed it was to study the spell in more depth, but she figured it had more to do with watching the areas she kept trying to protect.

Chrono kept trying to get to sleep, but now had too much energy. Literally. Since he'd gone so long in his conserving mode, he was almost hyper on the excess of energy he now had. And the situation was not helping any. He was extremely worried about Rosette, and if she'd ever speak to him again after what the spell was doing to her. He kept trying to think of a way that he could have prevented this from happening, and it was driving him crazy.

Especially after hearing the poor girl shouting at someone to "Remove that finger or I'll blow it off!" Sleep would be a long time coming that night.

Chrono was beginning to understand why Rosette was so cranky. After waking up the next day, (er, almost day, the sun hadn't risen yet), to the sound of Rosette shouting at the Elder for peeping as she slept, the devil discovered that he was still transformed, with no sign of reverting back. Once he'd called out a 'good morning' to his friends, he noticed something odd as he ducked the pillow she threw at him. The moment he straightened up, he felt it. The faintest breath of air on the very tip of his ear, warm and—

He shook his head furiously, looking around to find the source of it. But no one was near him. He shook his head again at his actions. Maybe he'd just imagined it. The devil went to get dressed—

A feminine hand ran slowly up his back, fingers lightly tracing the spot between his shoulder blades. They traced delicate patterns, making him arch forward to have more of that touch—

The demon flinched at the realization of what was happening, then shook his body like a dog shakes off water. Jeez Louise, but that was intense! No wonder Rosette was so upset. He looked over to where an orderly was standing. The man, a retired militia, was staring at him. He cocked an eyebrow in query, but the man just turned and left the ward.

Chrono frowned. Since he was in his original form, it would be harder to not scare anyone. After all, this _was_ an abbey. No one liked seeing a full-fledged demon standing around in a church. He decided to try and keep out of sight, the better to not bother anyone.

As the day went, both the devil and the nun were fit to be tied with boredom. Azmaria tried to help by bringing books and a deck of cards. While the books occupied Chrono, the young singer helped his whole day by beating the tar out of Rosette at poker. The Apostle eventually ended up with the parts of the devil the nun owned, to her horror and laughter.

One good thing did come of that mind-bendingly boring day. The touches seemed to have stopped. The moment the sun rose, neither one of them could sense that odd feeling of not being alone anymore that the spell brought. It was one heck of a relief.

Night fell, and brought with it a realization to them both. The weird touches only happened at night. And to Chrono's growing horror and embarrassment, the touches were getting worse. And the scent of the girl he was bound to was getting so much stronger. He didn't know how much more he could take…..

(&

Just filler for now, more to come soon. Bear with me, guys, I'm getting there!

Please review!


	7. what its for

Sorry its been so long, a lot has happened over the last few weeks. Guess what y'all?

I'm pregnant! Three months along, so far!

Hope you like this chap, and I don't own Chrono Crusade.

Chap: What its for…..

On day two, both of them woke to the smell of breakfast. Chrono also awoke to the alarming realization that he was still in his original form. Even two days hadn't been enough to drain the spell from him. The devil glanced over at the grandfather clock by the hall. Its lunar clock told him that the new moon was only three days away. He frowned in worry. They would have to do something soon.

Azmaria cheerfully brought them their meal, telling them of the progress made on the search for more information about the curse. While the nun was occupied with her food, the girl bent over to whisper in his ear so that Rosette wouldn't hear. Apparently, Father Remington had made a discovery during the night and wanted to see Chrono around ten that morning.

He dressed quietly as Rosette and the Apostle talked over toast and slipped out of the room. The demon tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, and failed miserably. All of the militia men were skittish around him. He avoided the more crowded hallways and just barely made it to the Father's office without making a scene. The devil knocked politely and was invited in.

A grave Elder and Remington were waiting for him. They looked like they'd maybe had four hours of sleep, either one of them. He eyed both of them with trepidation. "Is it that bad?"

"You should sit for this, Chrono," the elder said. As the devil sat down in one of the room's wingbacked chairs, he watched the expressions on the priest's face. The man looked worried, and more than a little upset. He frowned. It took a lot to rattle Remington. "What have you found out?" He asked.

"I've done extensive research of the demon we encountered the night before, but very little current information is available about him. Only our oldest archives were able to tell us anything useful. You've heard of him, I presume?" the priest asked.

"Yes, I've heard of him. Taj-mere, the spell demon, one of the higher up generals and a favorite of the queen. He's known in Pandemonium for his cruelty."

"Undoubtedly so. Do you know the nature of what spells he specializes in?"

The devil frowned, remembering unpleasant memories. "He loved to manipulate people, especially by mind reading or compulsions. He could force almost anyone, except for Aion and Pandemonia herself, to do his will."

"Then that explains the nature of this spell," the elder said grimly.

"What exactly is it supposed to do?" Chrono frowned in worry. Dozens of scenarios ran through his mind, from destroying the abbey to being forced to kill—

The elder closed his eyes as he said, "The spell is designed to force you to rape Rosette."

Chrono went completely still. "Wh-what?"

The elder nodded, eyes still closed. "It appears that the touching sensations are simply phases of the spell, tying in to the phases of the moon. I've observed that the phases occur mostly around dusk or at night, when the moon comes out. The less light of the moon there is, the stronger the spell will become until it runs its course and forces your hand, so to speak. When the new moon comes, the urges would be unstoppable."

The devil's breathing began to pick up. "You—you can't be serious. I couldn't—I would never"—he looked to Father Remington. "He's—joking, right? This is his idea of a joke, right?"

The priest slowly shook his head, eyes unreadable. "He's serious. The spell is to make you defile Rosette."

Chrono rose slowly from the chair, backing away from the two men. "No. No, I would never—I would _never_"—his knees almost buckled and he reached for the back of the chair. Too much experience with stories of Taj-mere's notorious spells rang too true of his situation. "Oh, God, _no_!!"

The elder moved to comfort his friend, but the demon flinched away from him. "Oh, God, no. _Noooo!_" he cried. "This can't be true! It can't—I—oh, God help me!!" Both hands covered his face in stunned shock and denial.

He suddenly whirled to face Remington, his eyes intensely serious. "Promise me something."

The man frowned at the desperation in the devil's eyes. "What do you have in mind?"

"Promise me that if I make any move towards Rosette, you'll kill me. You can't let me do that to her, _you can't_!! _Promise me_!"

Remington couldn't meet the devil's eyes and looked away. "I cannot do as you ask."

Chrono's jaw dropped. "_What?!_ What do you mean, you _can't?_! You hate me! You have never once liked me, especially since what happened fifty years ago! What the hell is stopping you now?!"

"He cannot kill you without killing Rosette now," the elder answered.

"What do you mean?!"

"The curse was created using your bloods, meaning that your life-forces were brought into it as well. They are now bound together for as long as the spell is in effect. Originally, the spell was simply to make _you_ do something, but due to the watch's connection with the both of you, it has made Rosette feel the effects as well. To kill or harm you in any way would affect Rosette as well," the old man explained.

"Then," the devil slid down, going to his knees in horror, "what can you do? You can't let me touch her like that! _I won't do it!_" He screamed. The elder winced as the devil's body changed to reflect the turmoil within him, armor forming and then melting back into his flesh. Wings even formed for a moment, before retreating back, nearly tearing his shirt in his agitation.

"There is a possible way to negate the spell," Remington said slowly.

Chrono looked up, hoping. "There is?"

"Indeed, my boy. It is possible to halt the spell before the energies have enough power to force you into anything," the elder said kindly. He so hated to see one of his friends suffer like this.

"What would I have to do?"

"Well, it stands to reason that if you had relations with Rosette before the new moon, it would satisfy the spell's terms without doing either of you any harm."

Chrono's eyes went huge in shock, and his face went slack. "What?

The elder blinked in surprise, but went on. "Chrono, you do know how to have relations with a female, don't you?"

"W-well, I"—

Remington couldn't help it, despite the gravity of the situation, and almost laughed at the look of bewildered confusion on Chrono's face.

The elder decided to get things rolling, "You see, my boy, when a man has certain needs"—

(&&$

Please review!


	8. the truth about barriers

Hi guys!! Can y'all believe it? Over seventy reviews for this! Didn't think anyone liked my stuff that much. And thanks to everyone who gave me congrats on the baby!

No own the devil, but I think I sold something to him once………

Chap: The truth about barriers

This demon had had enough. Were all of them _insane_?! "_**SHUT UP!!!!!**_ You cannot be serious!!! I'm not about to just go up to her and—and—_NO!_" Chrono ran to the door, almost crashing through it. He raced down the hall, nearly taking flight to reach the stairs. People dived out of his way, some screaming in terror as the disturbed demon flew by.

All he could feel or think was echoing over and over in his mind_. ' I can't. I **won't** do that, no matter what. It's my fault that this is happening, why does she have to suffer even more now?! **It's not fair!!'**_

The poor devil almost crashed through the door to Sister Kate's office, barely stopping his flight in time. He simply came in, to the nun's consternation. "Chrono! What is the meaning of this?!"

"Sister Kate, you have to stop them! They want me to sleep with Rosette!" he said, running up to her desk.

The nun's faced twisted incredulously as she rose form her chair in shock. "_What _did you say?!"

"Father Remington and the elder!! They've gone insane! You have to stop them. I can't—I mean, I don't want Rosette to get hurt, but I couldn't—I—you have to stop them!" He repeated, flustered.

"Calm yourself, Chrono, and sit down!" she roared. The devil panted harshly as he sat on the arm of one of the room's sofas, trying to collect himself. The abbess situated herself at her desk to listen to his story. "Now, calmly, tell me what is going on." She listened in horror to what he had to tell her about the curse. Once his explanation was finished, she nodded. "I agree, Chrono, this must not be allowed to happen."

"There must be something you can do," he said, intense worry ringing in his voice. "This cannot be the only way to deal with this. Could it be blocked? Countered somehow?"

"My expertise was never in this area," the sister replied. Her brow creased in thought. "Most of my militia training was strictly in the field, like Rosette, not in research."

He glanced around the room, hoping for some kind of inspiration. The cross above the picture on the wall caught his eye. Old grapewood, probably from the Italian Renaisance. An idea flared bright. "Wait! The cross barriers! Is it possible to use the barriers to halt the curse?"

She paused to collect her thoughts on the idea. "The theory is sound, but you must remember, the curse is already in your blood lines. I think all that an Angels or Providence barrier would accomplish is to bind you to a certain place."

He nodded frantically. "That would be enough! Wouldn't it? As long as Rosette wasn't there?"

She cocked her head, considering. "I don't see why not. So long as you can make it past the new moon, it should negate the curse's power and you'll go back to normal."

"Oh, thank you god." The demon heaved a drastic sigh of relief, then straightened up to stand properly. "Thank you, Abbess, for you advice." He smirked ruefully, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment at his outburst. "I was really starting to panic there."

"Starting to? Chrono, I've never seen you act like this, not even that time when Rosette used the Spirit round." She sat gingerly on the edge of her desk, regarding him seriously. Although, she admitted, it felt rather odd for her to be at eyelevel with him while standing up. "Don't take this the wrong way, now, but do you really object to being with Rosette that much?"

Chrono stared in blank surprise, not understanding what the woman was asking him. "What do you mean?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "I mean,--well, I'm not quite sure. I suppose I mean that if Rosette were to love you, (god help us, the chaos)," she muttered under her breath, "would you reject that love?"

Chrono stilled at the implication, then sighed. "No, I would never reject the love of a person like her. I—I would treasure it." He looked at her, his gaze almost fierce, "But I will not take something from her simply because of a stupid curse. She deserves to have the best in the world, and I know that I am not it." He rose, bowing politely. "I apologize for barging in here like that."

"Apology accepted, but I will make you go down to the elder's and have him make me a new door."

The devil glanced behind him and winced at the sight of the twisted and ripped hinges. "Sorry, ma'am."

"Go on now, and tell those two what we've decided." She returned his bow as he went out the door. Sighing a little, she thought out loud. "For all that you are a demon, you truly are a good man, Chrono the Sinner. May god help you both."

(scene change: Rosette's spot in the hospital wing, playing cards with Azmaria, and just now discussing the spell.)

Rosette went pale as milk. "What did you say?"

Azmaira nodded sadly. "That is the terms of the curse."

"But he wouldn't—Chrono _would never!_ He's the kindest, most decent person I know! He'd never do _anything_ like that!"

"It wouldn't be of his own free will," the girl pointed out. "He would be in the grip of the spell. The Elder and Father Remington are trying to find a way to negate the spell before it reaches that far. They said that"—she paused.

"What? What did they say?"

"They said that—if Chrono does go out of control, they are to try to get you as far away from him as they can, by any means necessary."

"You mean, they'd shoot at him? They'd shoot Chrono?! No way! **I will not allow this!!!** _Elder!!! Get your wrinkled old butt down here right now_!" The nun shrieked.

Azmaria lowered her hands from her now ringing ears. "What are you going to do, Rosette?"

"See what I can do. And then I have to talk to Chrono. I won't let them hurt him," she said fiercely.

(&$&$##$

Some humor will be coming up in the next chap, I can't resist picking on the poor guy.

Please review!


	9. Scents and Hormones

Sorry its been so long, my family is giving me hell about the baby. (Le sigh) I'll try to keep writing.

Chap: Scents and Hormones

Later that afternoon, a distinctly battered Elder walked up to the small garden shed they were using. Remington cocked an eyebrow at him. "You told her of the situation?"

"More like she held my throat hostage and demanded to know. Azmaria has already explained most of it to her, and I ended up telling her what was being done. Sister Kate convinced her it was for the best. Poor thing's about to go insane with bordom," the old man said with something resembling admiration. "Gah, but that girl's got spunk."

"How'd she take it?" Chrono asked quietly. He was on top of the roof, checking for any serious structural weaknesses. Many a passing nun had been heard to sigh at the sight, for Chrono had taken off his leathers and shirt to work with greater mobility, showing his very nice form to all passer-by. The garden house was to confine him for the rest of the nights until the new moon had passed. Two other priest were there helping to set up the barriers and wards to keep a devil as powerful as Chrono in, and it wasn't easy. Some safety modifications had to be made as well, and the elder was left in charge of that.

"She's not happy about this, and she wants to talk to you as soon as she can. Azmaria's keeping her busy researching to find another way around the spell, but that won't stop her for long."

Chrono paused, taking some nails out of his mouth so that he could speak better. "Should we risk it?"

Remington took a while before he answered, "The phases only happen at night. I see no real reason for you to avoid her during the day. Not to mention, she must be quite worried about how you're taking all of this. Maybe you should go see her, if nothing else, to reassure her that you're alright."

"She worries too much," the devil muttered as he lightly jumped off the roof.

"More that she knows you so well that she can tell your moods before they happen."

Remington sighed. "Poor girl. She does love you, you know."

Chrono froze where he landed. Slowly, he turned to face the priest. "What did you"---

"You didn't think that she was in love with you?" One of the warding priests chimed in, surprised. "Its obvious to anyone with eyes that she loves you."

"Hopelessly," the other priest replied.

"But—but—I'm—she's"—Chrono stared in shock. They could not be serious. They—just couldn't be. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to collect himself.

"Oh, stop teasing the boy," the elder said as he came in. "Sure, she loves him, now quit bugging him about it." He glanced behind him as the sun began to set. "And now things get really interesting."

"You"—the devil paused as he felt the lightest touch on the edge of his ear. It felt like a soft fingertip, just barely touching the rim of his ear. He leaned in---

Then yanked himself back, shaking his head furiously. "You have no idea, elder-sir. You have no idea."

Later that night, the two other priests had finally left, the barriers in place for the night. Remington had returned to the infirmary to both check on Rosette, and to have himself looked over by St. Justice. The elder elected to stay with Chrono, both to keep the boy company, and to be sure that if anything did happen, he could place the outer barriers in time. The inner barriers were active all the time.

Chrono glanced over the rim of his cards to the elder. "You know, Rosette could completely massacre you at this game."

"Oh shut up, you. She's never won against me yet." He grumbled. "I can't believe you're this good."

"I've had a lot of practice with Rosette. Not to mention, I don't have a skirt to look under, so you can't use those distraction techniques you're famous for. In some cultures, that's called cheating."

"Its not cheating to admire a girl's legs while playing cards with her. I would just be paying them a compliment."

"Either way, you don't seem to play very well against men."

"That's why I never do unless it's a special occasion."

"What's the occa"---Chrono's eyes glazed over and he rolled his head forward. Warm lips were kissing between his shoulder blades, right where his wings would form. A small wet tongue made patterns on the skin of his back—

"Er, Chrono, my boy, you know how to take care of that problem of yours?"

The demon shook his head furiously to clear it, the better to focus on the man's question. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Do you know how to take care of that," he gestured to the other's lower region, "problem you got there?"

Chrono blinked for a moment in incomprehension before it dawned on him. "What!? Ur, um, ahh"—

"Nothing to be ashamed of, my boy, every man has needs, you know."

"N-no! You—don't understand. Demons"—he decided to just bite the bullet, a bright

flush working over his face—"demonscan'tdothat."

"What? Say it again, I didn't understand you."

"De-demons can't do that."

The elder frowned in confusion. "They can't?"

"No."

"Not ever?"

"No, sir."

The man's frown deepened. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Well, why the hell not?"

"Why not—what do I look like, a demon physiologist!?"

"Oh come on! That's not physically possible!"

"Yes it is!"

"No it isn't!"

"Yes it is!"

"Prove it!"

Chrono stared, his crimson eyes going wide and nearly started to hyperventilate in shock. "**_What?!"_**

"_Not that way_, you idiot! You give me a good reason why demons can't do that, and I'll leave you alone about it for the rest of the night."

"Alright……" he fidgeted in his chair.

The elder raised an eyebrow, skepticism written all over his face. "I haven't got all night, my boy."

"Alright, already! Criminy." He took a deep breath to compose himself and got down to the nitty-gritty. "When demons mate, we have what's called breeders, females with high levels of power and stamina. Pandemonia would select the strongest of her female demons and take their minds from them, to make sure that all they could ever do is breed and not rise up against her. The other females are rendered sterile."

The old man paled at the image, then grimaced. "That's horrible."

"That's just the tip of the iceburg. The breeders can have dozens, if not hundreds of males attracted to her at once by the scents she creates."

"The scents?"

"Yeah." Chrono looked away, a look of almost shame on his face. "The scents are to alert males that a breeder is in heat and can completely overwhelm a male's consciousness, make him go into a savage frenzy. He'll fight off dozens of other demons for the right to mate with the breeder. That's how Pandemonia makes sure that only the strongest of her subjects reproduces."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Its gotten to the point that while you can have physical contact be enjoyable, nothing works unless the scents are present."

"Nothing works? My boy, you look to be in fine working order to me."

"No, I don't mean like that. I mean that only if the scents are present can a demon, well, you know…."he trailed off, praying the elder would catch his drift.

"Oh, you mean you can't orgasm unless you've got those scents?"

Chrono was about to turn an interesting shade of eggplant from blushing. "Basically, yes."

"Owwwww," the elder said sympathetically. "That has to hurt. This whole situation must really be pushing you past sixty, huh?"

The devil nodded, then flinched as another round of touching began its assault. The feel a warm tongue licking someplace sensitive made his whole body shudder in pleasure and pain, just as the first light of dawn came through the windows. "Oh, may God help me."

A sudden thought struck the elder, and he privately prayed it wasn't true before he voiced it aloud. "Chrono, have you ever"—

Chrono started. He knew the question was coming, but it still unnerved him. "**No**! No, I—was out of Pandemonium before I was old enough to breed."

"In a way, praise the Lord, in another, _damn._" The elder stared at him hard. "Does that mean what I think it does?"

Chrono bowed his head, "Yes, sir."

"My god. I didn't think it was possible for a fellow to live more than fifty years and go without, but you're like, what? 200 or so?"

"One hundred and eighty……..seven, I think, give or take a year," he answered. "Why?"

"I hate to tell you this, my boy, but you may have just won the record for being the world's oldest living virgin."

)&((&)

Please review!


	10. Gin and Cassocks

Hi guys. Sorry its been so long, but I have one hell of a reason. My step-dad decided that it would be really amusing to all involved if he chased me out of the house with a baseball bat, screaming about my having the child of Satan. (He's a Catholic fanatic, and I mean _bad_.)

So I had to move everything over to my fiancé's house, meaning I had to sneak back to the house while he wasn't there to go get my things. And I still haven't got everything. (sigh.) I'll keep writing, don't worry, but it might not be up to par.

Hope you all like this chap. Thoughts are in _these,_ just so you know.

Chap: gin and cassocks

Around eight that morning, Chrono showered and changed clothing. His morning routine was much shorter now thanks to his morphic abilities. If he didn't want to mess with his hair, he simply made it shorter, no fuss, no mess, and no barber required. It really was a blessing. Three feet of hair was a _hassle_ early in the mornings.

Granted, Rosette was usually there every morning to brush his hair out for him and re-braid it. She loved to mess with his hair, even going so far as to try a curling iron on him. Three nearly permanent burn scars on his ears later, he convinced her to never touch one of those things again.

He smiled at the memory, then sighed. He missed her. It had only been one day and night without her and he missed her. This was getting pathetic. The devil finished dressing and knocked on the door for the elder to let him out. The faint burn of the barriers faded from his senses as they came down, letting him stretch out his aura. (Much like stretching your arms after being cramped in a small box.) He walked out into the morning sunshine and blinked at the bright light. His full demon eyes were much more sensitive than his normal sight, so he had to be careful how long he stayed outside.

The elder smiled in greeting, handing him a hot mug of coffee. "Ready to face the tiger?"

"Oh yes, lets," he replied, sarcasm lacing his tone. He downed the hot brew gratefully in two gulps, murmuring a "wuss" under his breath as the elder cautiously sipped his. The man slipped two bagels out of a coat pocket, handing them over to Chrono. He took them with a smile. Finishing their breakfast, they both walked off for the infirmary to find Rosette.

People couldn't help but stare as they walked the abbey grounds. The tall imposing demon was one of Pandemonia's most powerful and deadly creatures, and his fierce grace left more than one sister drooling. The elder walking beside him looked rather small as they headed inside. Glancing around at the nervous milita that lined the halls, Chrono sighed quietly.

The elder heard his friend, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh. Its just—I never feel like I could belong here, you know? This is so different from everything expected of me, and it does bug me from time to time that I'm still stared at. Do they think I'm from the moon or something?" he said, embarrassed habit making him scratch the back of his neck.

"Chrono, _you_ are a _good demon_. Technically speaking, that's an oxymoron. Especially to everyone around here, who've all been trained that all devils are evil."

"I suppose you're right. Still bothers me though."

"It's only natural. Don't worry so much. Rosette thinks you're fine the way you are, and she's the only one that really matters, right?"

Chrono found a smile. "Right." The devil smiled nervously as he reached the door to the infirmary. Would she be okay after his night in the barriers, or would she mad at him? He glanced in, checking out the scene. Four girls were playing cards, and from the look of things, Sister Claire was cleaning the floor with everyone. Rosette was sitting still for once, frowning intensely at her cards. "Um, hi, Rosette."

Rosette looked up from her cards, a truly happy smile coming over her face. "Chrono! You're here!" She leapt up from the side of the bed she sat on and hurried over to him. Stopping just a few feet from him, she grinned outright. "Got to admit, I'm glad to see you. Are you okay? No one's giving you a hard time are they?" She clenched one fist and shook it at the elder. "I hear that even _one _person is making trouble for him, and I'll beat them like a rented mule."

"Uh, no, Rosette, I'm fine," Chrono said, his tone placating. She gave him a disbelieving look. "No really! I've actually had"-he hesitated to say 'a good time'-"a pretty decent time. I did find out that the elder stinks at poker," he said as he walked over to where a few of the other nuns were sitting. The girls immediately parted and made room for him, one even going so far as to deal him into the game of gin.

Rosette started in surprise. "Huh? He does! Then how come I've never beaten him!"

Chrono smothered a laugh, "Its called"—

"Admiring the female form, my dear!" The elder chimed.

-"distraction strategy," the demon finished with a dry look at the old man's retreating back as he left the room. "You could probably beat the pants off him, if you could ignore his shenanigans."

"I'll pass," she said with a shudder as she sat back at the table. A few rounds into the game, she looked back up at him. "You know, you didn't answer my question. Are you really okay?"

He smiled over his cards as he brushed some hair from the side of his face. "Yeah, I'm alright. It takes more than a curse to get me down. And you?"

"Same here," Rosette nodded with a smirk. Inwardly, her knees were knocking. '_Oh my lord, he's too hansom. That smile should be labeled as a lethal weapon.'_

The devil felt a slight rush of heat in his cheeks as his eyebrows went up in surprise. "Um, thank you."

Two girls at the table looked at him oddly. "For what, Chrono?"

He ducked his head reflexively in shyness. It was so odd to be called hansom. "Rosette, she just, um—said I was"—

Rosette looked up, slight confusion written on her face. "Huh?"

"You called me hansom."

She looked at him oddly. "No I didn't."

He frowned, "But I heard you." He glanced at the other girls in the room. "Didn't you all hear her say that?"

"No," Sister Elizabeth replied. "She didn't say anything."

Chrono flushed all the way to the tips of his ears, slouching into his chair in embarrassment. "Oh. Sorry, must be hearing things. Sorry." '_Yeah, more like wishful thinking. Blasphemous wishful thinking. No way would she really find a devil all that attractive. I look a little human, but c'mon. There's no way.'_

"Chrono, just because I didn't say it doesn't mean its not true," Rosette said worriedly. "I"—she blushed—"I think you _are_ hansom, devil or not." She gave him a small shy smile as the other girls giggled and nodded in agreement.

He smiled as well. "Thank you." '_God she's pretty when she smiles._'

Rosette froze in her seat, blushing like a tomato. "You—you think I'm pretty?" she said softly, surprise lacing her tone.

Chrono started up from his cards. "What? Me?" She nodded. "I didn't say anything." '_Not out loud. Right?_

"Well, I didn't say you were hansom out loud before either."

Chrono stared at her like she had finally gone round the twist till an odd understanding seemed to spread across his face. "Wait a minute. Either? What do you mean either? Were you thinking I was hansom earlier?"

"Yes, but I didn't say anything!"

"And I didn't say you were pretty out loud either! But you heard me. You heard me in my own head." He stared at her. _'Rosette, can you hear me?_

_Of course I can hear you, you're talking to me._

He shook his head_. No, no. Look at my mouth. Are my lips moving?_

She stared. _No._ She suddenly reached up to touch hers. _Mine aren't either, are they?_

_No, they aren't._

_Then we're both……reading each other's mind?_

_I think so. _He cursed a black streak in his head, apologizing profusely afterward at her shocked look. "I do believe that we now have curse phase number two."

Three hours and a lot of experimenting later, they came to these conclusions. Rosette and Chrono could read each others' minds, and only each others'. And they could hear the other's thoughts from anywhere, no matter how far, or what barriers lay between them.

This was a bit of a plus for the two friends, as they had sincerely missed each other. Both of them had to share smiles as they left to their own respected rooms later on that evening. Now they could talk as long as they wanted. They caught up on the days they'd been away from each other, telling about the various problems and embarrassments of the day. Rosette told him about poor Azmaria and her last encounter with a cute choir boy named Sven, and Chrono got to tell her about the things a cassock can do if the wind was blowing the right way.

But, the power didn't exactly allow them to choose which thoughts they could hear. Chrono got to hear a massively embarrassing one-sided conversation in the girls bathroom as the girls were getting ready for bed before Rosette learned he was listening. She nearly blasted his mental ears with shouting till he managed to explain that they couldn't control it well enough to stop from hearing certain things.

Night fell, and both of them shared the hope that the touching phase was over with now, with this other phase in effect.

No such luck.

Cassock: the long robe a priest or monk wears, like what Remington wears. Now imagine a stiff wind in the wrong direction……….

Please review!


	11. and the walls come tumbling

Sorry that this chap took so long, but I had to convince a friend to let me borrow a muse. Besides Chrono, my wonderful, usual muse, I asked for the assistance of Battosai. You can blame him for any OOC-ness in any of this chap.

Battosai: You are seriously asking for a taste of steel, little girl.

Me: Yeah, like you'd hit a pregnant lady.

Battosai: 0.0……You're pregnant! Why didn't you say anything?

Chrono: (raises eyebrow) You couldn't tell? What, you thought she'd swallowed a ball or something?

Battosai: (glares at Chrono) Shut up, demon.

Me: (glares at them both) Both of you stop it. Thanks to Nix for the loan, but I will return him soon! And guess what guys! the baby, it's a girl!

Please remember! _This_ is thoughts, 'this' is speaking in a dream.

Chap: And the walls come tumbling……

Nine o'clock chimed throughout the abbey by church bells, signaling vespers was about to begin. The choirs began their soft chanting into the evening hours of the long winter night, bringing peace to all who heard the beautiful music. But two people were not having a good night by a long shot.

Chrono's POV

Well wasn't this news just peachy? Rosette had just unconsciously sent him the latest doings of the girls' dormitory, and this topped the choir-boy streaking incident in his eyes. Chrono cocked his head, a look of pure disbelief on his face. _They're doing what! For the love of little nun habits, why are they betting on this?_

_Maybe they're bored_, Rosette snapped back. _I don't know! All I know is that its embarrassing the living daylights out of me!_

Chrono couldn't help his next comment, something he'd been dying to say to her ever since the first time he'd heard her use the expression. _You do know that there's no such thing as a living daylight, right?_

She paused, and he knew that if he had been with her at the moment, he would have been receiving the glare of doom. And one hell of a beating. _I know that, you countrified corn-pone!_

Chrono just growled in frustration. He leaned back against the bed, his long legs spread out on the floor for the sake of stretching. This was so damn frustrating. Both the girl and devil were still feeling the touches, and could read each other's mind to boot throughout the whole thing.

That had brought them straight out of embarrassing and into the tenth level of hell, as far as he was concerned. It was absolutely mortifying to hear what was going through the other's mind during intimate stuff like that. (Although, a part of him had to admit that Rosette could sound really sexy when she wanted too—he gave himself a mental slap and prayed she didn't notice that little brain-blip.)

One thing that really bothered him throughout it all was Rosette's tone. She had sounded almost frightened. He couldn't blame her. She was only 17, and had never been kissed by a man, let alone the things this curse was doing to her. If he had been in her shoes, he would have made like an ostrich for a month.

Well, since the most he'd ever done was a kiss, despite his age, he was rather disturbed by all of this stuff too. He figured that if this were under happier circumstances, he'd be having a good time.

Rosette had caught that thought, and he had felt her blush all the way across the abbey grounds. Then she nearly made him go brain-deaf with embarrassed screaming.

Right when he thought things couldn't get more embarrassing, he found out that the entire east wing of the girls' dormitories had a bet going that they wouldn't last till the end of the curse without tearing each others' clothes off. Lord be above, what the hell were Catholic nuns doing betting!

_Any word from Azmaria or Father Remington on a cure besides the obvious?_ He asked.

_None. And don't even ask about the elder._

_Huh? Why?_

She mentally growled_. Fat old pervert won't leave the dormitories. Claims he's trying to protect the other sisters from coming into contact with the curse's energies. Feh. __More like he's waiting for the best chance to-Gahhhh! Here he comes! Girls, fire!_

Chrono's eyebrows went up in concern. _Fire! You aren't using the heavy artillery, are you? You don't have a license for it!_

_Why would you need a license to shoot a bazooka? What's to learn? Load, aim, and fire, and you're done. Get him, girls!_

Chrono winced as a huge explosion rocked the convent's grounds before he got angry at her ridiculous lack of common sense. _Apparently, they teach you this really novel concept called 'shooting outdoors.' This way, no masonry decides it would be fun to land on you or your friends!_

No answer.

_The silent treatment isn't going to work you know._

Still nothing.

_Rosette? This isn't funny. You **are** okay, right?_

Rosette still didn't answer him.

_**Rosette! **_

He leapt up, banging on the wall to get the guard's attention. Wings formed and snapped against the walls in his upset. "Brother Andrew! You might have to let me out soon!" _Rosette, wake up! Rosette, don't make me break through barriers, you know I hate that. Rosette!_

Her voice briefly flickered in his head._ Chr-…_

……_..ah, Lord, this-hurts…_

_Chrono?_

He nearly collapsed in relief. "Thank you, God."_ Rosette! What happened! Are you hurt? Is anything bleeding? The roof's not on you, is it!_

"You think Rosette is hurt, sir?" The young monk asked, his head peeping around the doorway. "In the explosion?"

"I'm finding out," Chrono answered back. _Rosette? Rosette! Why aren't you answering!_

Her "voice" sounded dizzy and strained._ Chrono?_

_Rosette? What's wrong? Are you hurt? _

_Would you……just calm down—a bit? I'm fine, okay? I think……I just blacked out for a bit. _

_Where are you? Can you remember what just happened?_

_I'm in the dorm, worry-wort. And I remember who I am, and who's president, and all that jazz. I just really hurt all over. I think my shoulder—god bless that girl, I love her. She just relocated my shoulder._

He snorted out loud and in his own head._ Oh that's reassuring. Is anyone near you hurt?_

_Azmaria's using her song. We should be better in a bit. Criminey, but that was loud. Damn shells. At least no one was seriously hurt. Wish I could say the same for the dorm __wall._

_Let me guess, _he said, relaxing his aura and shaking his head at the young monk's inquiry. _You took out the whole damn thing._

_Only part of it! Like, say 98 of it. Damn cheap plaster walls, in a convent of all places._

He started to chuckle softly. _That's my girl. You scared me for a minute there._

_Sorry, Chrono. _She paused. _You okay?_

_You mean, has my heart returned to a calm beat? For the most part, no._

He could hear the sorrow and regret in her voice, what she normally never showed him when she spoke aloud. _I'm sorry. I hate it when I worry you._

He couldn't help his slight surprise at her response. _Hey now. Its okay. You didn't set out to give me a heart attack. Are you sure you're okay?_

_Yeah, I'm fi—oh my god, **Sister Kate! Hi!**_

He couldn't help it when he started to laugh until he cried.

&&&&&&&&&

Chrono pulled a wet cloth over his forehead in an effort to stop the ache. "Why the hell does Sister Kate say she has a headache? How the hell does Rosette put up with this?" His temples were throbbing in pain with one beautiful migraine as Kate continued her tirade at the unlucky nun. This had been going on for more than an hour, and it was really making him cranky.

He closed his eyes in exasperation. Enough was enough for one night. _Try and keep it down, Rosette. I'm going to catch some sleep._

_How can you sleep at a time like this!_

_You'd be surprised._ He tried to make his body relax over the noise, taking deep breathes to clear his mind, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

_**Dreams……**_

He was walking in an odd haze, the only sound was his boots padding along the soft ground. Trees dotted his path through the fog, and the devil strained to see further where he was going. Suddenly a clearing appeared, and he started at what he saw.

Rosette was sleeping on the grass, curled on her side. She looked much different asleep than awake, that was for sure. The lines of her face relaxed making her look soe peaceful, and she could almost be mistaken for some kind of a sweet angel.

_Yeah right,_ he thought to himself. _An angel of mischief._ He went over by her side, checking on her as he always would. The moment he sat beside her, she moved over so that her head laid on his lap. He froze, blushing. _Oh, boy. Please don't wake up and pound me, please don't wake up and pound me…._

She suddenly shifted, eyes blinking sleepily. 'Chrono? Are you sleeping?'

'I don't think so,' he answered.

'Are you dreaming?' She asked softly, and a change overtook her. Every stitch of clothing she had just disappeared.

Chrono wondered if it was possible to have a nosebleed from blushing. 'Ro-Rosette?'

'Is this what you dream?' She asked, moving over. She slowly pulled herself into his arms, looking up into his face. The girl smiled as she kissed his surprised lips. 'This is what I dream too.' She kissed his cheek and jaw, following the curve of his face as she reached the edge of his ear. He moaned outright when she licked the rim of his very sensitive ear before she slowly blew on it. She began to shift again, important stuff about to touch important stuff—

Chrono woke in a cold sweat. "Oh, god." He panted hard, trying to catch his breath. That had been some dream. "Oh, god above."

_Chrono?_

He whirled, trying to find the source of the noise, then realized who it was. _Rosette?_

_Are—are you dreaming? Right now?_

The devil's wings formed and spasmed at the eerie resemblance to his dream. _N-no, not right now. Why?_

_I-I think I just—saw—your dream. I was—kissing you?_

_You can see what I'm dreaming?_ He let his head fall back in frustration. _Oh hell. This is not good._

The girl mentally nodded, and the demon twitched as he caught her last thought.

_Especially if you can see what I dream about you._

Please review!


	12. Learning about you

Another chapter for you all! And thanks for everyone's support, you guys rock.

Don't own the Demon-boys, or the Nuns, but if I did, oh the evil things I could do…..

Hehe!

Chap: Learning more about you

Was this night ever going to end! Rosette kept up her pacing through the abbey halls, pulling her robe tighter around herself. Sister Kate had allowed her to go for a walk to clear her head, but she'd never said when she could use it. The good sister had been thoughtful enough to give Rosette her own room for the duration of the curse after the dormitory incident, along with a few militia guards just in case. It had annoyed the bejeebus out of the girl, but she bore with it.

It was going on 1 am, but the girl didn't dare fall asleep, so she walked to keep her mind occupied. Thousands of different thoughts and memories kept making loops in her head. Memories of how she and Chrono met, and all the times with Joshua. Of how happy they'd all been together. Of how much everything had changed, even more so now.

Even the memory of the creation of the contract was playing in her mind. That had been Rosette's first real encounter with demonic magic.

(Flashback)

From where Chrono knelt on the soft grass, he looked up at her with sorrow-filled eyes. "Are you sure? This cannot be undone, Rosette, not without greater cost." She moved to speak, but he silenced her with a look. "Think before you answer me! Are you _sure_?"

She nodded, her tears drying as she set the course of her destiny, though she didn't know it. "Yes, Chrono, I'm sure. No turning back, ever, until we get Joshua back."

He looked at her face carefully, searching for any doubt, and found none. "Then we must make the contract." He grasped the watch, a flick of his wrist opening the seal. Faint light sparked from it before clearing. He took her tiny wrist in his hand and held it over the watch's face. "Your blood must tie it to your soul, do you understand? I'll have to make a cut."

"That's okay. Just please hurry!"

His claws made themselves sharper, then a quick movement had made crimson well up from her arm.

(End flash)

It had been the only time that Chrono had ever hurt her.

For the first time in a long while, she thought about her mother, Jolene. Her mother had been tall and graceful, and though Rosette couldn't remember much about her personally, she remembered a wonderful sense of kindness that had radiated from her. Rosette hugged herself tightly, trying to recapture that sense of being protected from everything.

_Rosette? Are you alright?_

She rolled her eyes at the question._ Cranky as all get out and sleepy to boot. That answer your question?_

_Sorry._ He paused. _Um, maybe you should try to sleep_.

_Pervert,_ she muttered, almost bitterly.

_No, not that._ He couldn't stop the thought that came next. _Do you really think that about me?_

_You know I don't! Its just—I hate this. I really, really hate this. I wish all of this would just go away! I don't know what is going on, or why I feel this way and it scares me, damn it! I hate being scared, and not knowing—damn it. Damn it._

Chrono winced at the feel of her crying. He couldn't see it, couldn't even really hear it, but he could still sense that it was there. _Don't cry, Rosette. Please, try and get some rest, you'll get sick walking around in the middle of the halls like this._

_That's ridiculous. Besides, I don't want to dream._

She could feel him nod in response._ I understand. But hey, one good thing happened about this curse. At least we're in this together. _

She took deep breaths, calming herself. _You're right. I know that it could be so much worse, but Chrono, I—there are things I want to say that I don't think I can say yet. I don't know if I'm not ready or if I'm scared of the answer you'll give me but I'm just so afraid to speak and scared you'll find out._

The devil couldn't decide what to feel. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? Or was he reading her wrong? What should he say? _Rosette—_

A sudden surge of aura brought another bout of the phantom touches. But this was—

"Oh, God, Rosette!" Chrono moaned out loud as a soft hand slid up his thigh to lightly cup the spot right under his shaft. Warm fingers began to massage gently all over him, and the devil nearly doubled over in shocked pleasure. "Ahhh! What are you doing to me?" He could feel a body pressed close to his, pulling his hands to touch places he couldn't see, but oh lord he could feel

"Oh, hells, I don't think I can take much more of"—

He almost screamed as he felt a warm wet tongue touch the tip of his shaft. Dimly he was aware of the sound of Rosette's harsh breathing and soft cries. _Rosette?_

_Chrono! Oh, Lord, something is—is—your tongue is—oh, not there! Not there! God, what are you doing—no, this has to be wrong—I—I_—he suddenly heard her scream out, and an incredible wash of emotions swept over him. It felt like falling and flying, then burning then—completion? What had just happened to her?

He fought to distract his mind from the touches that still thrummed over his body. _Rosette?_

_Oh, Chrono_, she said softly. Her voice was suddenly calm, almost drained and sleepy. _That was—I don't even know what that was. But it felt sowarm. What happened to me? It felt like—my whole body was shaking with something._

_I—I think you just, um,_ he blushed so hard he knew she could feel it, _came._

_Came? From where?_

_I mean you,_ (bright shade of glowing purple now), _had an orgasm._

She flushed about as bad as he did. _R-really? Whoa. That's kind of nice. No wonder they write books with those in it. It was eally scary, but nice. Did you, um………come too?_

_No,_ he ducked his head gratefully as the touch subsided, leaving a very frustrated demon in its wake. _I can't_.

_You can't? Why not? Is it the spell?_

I_ts got nothing to do with the spell. Demons,_ he decided to repeat what he'd told the elder, _can't have orgasms unless they're with a breeder._

_A breeder?_

_Pandemonia wanted to control the powers of her offspring, and to never have to worry about a female trying to gain control like she did. So to control her stronger females, she would take their minds away so that they could never fight back against her._

Rosette winced. _You mean, they're like zombies?_

_Something like that._

_That's—God, Chrono, that's terrible. _

He pushed on. _Breeders produce a scent that drives males insane with lust and enables them to orgasm in an effort to procreate. Males would loose their minds and all reason, fighting for the right to breed. It happens whenever Pandemonia releases her own scent. It triggers other breeders to go into heat and produce their own scents._

Rosette paused, trying to understand what that must be like_. Its so cruel. How could Pandemonia do such a thing?_

_More control over her demons, I guess_, Chrono said bitterly.

Rosette nearly wept at her next thought, afraid to ask, but she truly needed to know. _Chrono? Did you ever—_

_No!_ He answered fiercely_. I never once bred, I was too young by the time I left Pandemonium._ He looked off, ashamed. _This is why I'm so afraid of this curse. If the spell manages to create something like a breeder scent on you, I could really hurt you. _

_Chrono, I know you wouldn't do anything like that—_

_You don't understand! _He was almost shouting in his desperation to make her understand._ I wouldn't have a say in it! I would completely loose my mind, I wouldn't recognize you! I'd tear you apart and never even know it till the scent wore off. That's why this curse is so powerful, and so dangerous._

_Chrono… I wish I knew something to say._

_Don't. Its not your fault, its mine._

_You can't blame yourself for the way you're made!_

_That's great in theory, but it really doesn't make me feel any better._ He snorted. _That's one of the reasons Aion wanted to rule Pandemonium so badly, so he could make that stop. _

Rosette couldn't help her surprise. She'd never really thought about their enemy's reasons before._ Really?_

_Yeah. You have no idea what its like to see people you know are rational beings completely loose all sense of self like that. Even your best friend, just loose everything like that. Its terrible….._

Rosette cocked her head, thinking_. You know, if Aion wasn't so bent on killing people in his master scheme, I think I'd almost help him for that alone._

Chrono couldn't help his shock. _What? You would?_

_Well, why not! No one deserves to be treated like that, ever! Its horrible and degrading to everyone involved, and all at the whim of a monster who couldn't care less about her own people._

Chrono smiled. You _know, you never cease to surprise me, Rosette._

_Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?_

His smile became a full grin. _You decide._

_&&&&&_

If some of their reactions seem a little off in the thoughts part of this story, think about it. When you answer someone a question, dozens of different thoughts go through your head, different shades to an answer. Random stuff pops in your head too, so if they seem off, its just because of theum, back thoughts, I guess you could call them.

Please review!


	13. Loosing control of it all

The nitty-gritty is about to begin. Sorry its been a while, life, eh? Midterms too.

For those who've been asking about names for my baby, I'm flattered you'd take the time to wonder. So far, I've liked Daisy, (she'd be my little flower!), or Eleanora, (nick-named Ellie). As for boy names, that's already settled, incase the ultrasound's wrong. James William, in honor of the baby's grandfathers, nick-named J.W. (pronounced Jay Dub-yah. None of that double-u stuff.)

My reason for these names? I don't hear them anywhere, from anyone. Not to mention, I want a name for this kid that I can scream in a crowded school hallway or neighborhood and only one kid will think, 'Oh, crap, she knows!'

I don't own Chrono Crusade, etc…..

Chap: Loosing control of it all

(same night, just later, now about 2:20 am)

They talked through another hour of the night, learning more about the other than they ever thought possible. Rosette had headed back to the privacy of her room, settling herself on the bed to better concentrate on what her friend was saying. And for the first time in a long while, he was telling her stories again. But a few thoughts still bothered her.

_Chrono?_

_Yes?_

_With the breeders…..was anyone ever in love?_

He paused for a moment. _You mean, could love influence the outcome?_

_Yeah._

_Breeding was never about love,_ he said with soft bitterness. _Demons can love, as powerfully as any human or Apostle, but we are never allowed to act on that love. I think one of your philosophers said something like that, it summed up what Pandemonia believed. Oh yeah, "Mercy is weakness, and weakness is death."_

He could feel Rosette frown. _Whoever that old fart was, I guarantee he was not a happy person._

Chrono smirked at that. _No doubt._

_Chrono? Have you ever—wanted children? Of your own?_

Her question nearly floored him. _I….I can honestly tell you that I've never thought about _

_that before._

_Well think about it now!_

_I am, okay!_ He thought for a minute, settling deeper against the side of his bed. _I really don't know, Rosette. Why do you ask?_

_I—don't know, really. Just wondering if they were a part of any dreams you might have for the future._

He couldn't help the light blush that came on his face from that thought. _Children…_.

A faint stirring of aura was all the warning he got before his worst fear materialized. A trace of wind from the chapel grounds brought with it a scent. The spark of life, light sweat, hints of cinnamon from her soap, and a stronger smell of her warmth. It was laced with sated arousal, and tiny traces of fear. Above it all, was the scent of fertility.

It drove him wild.

The scent of Rosette…..the scent of a breeder.

Rosette was nearly knocked over by the force of emotions that crashed over her from Chrono. Fear for her, for himself, frustration, and even anger, but overwhelming it all was the mad rush of heat, of—desire. His mind had almost completely shut down.

"**Rosette!"** He howled, screaming with longing. His aura slammed against the barriers, his wings forming and twitching wildly. Armor morphed from his skin, claws growing, his hair changing from its normal braid to the bone-like whip. **_Where! Rosette! Where are you!_**

_Chrono? Chrono you have to calm down—_

**_Rosette!_** The barriers pulsed with bright light as he lunged toward the door, the elder scrambling away from the locks. One look at the devil said it all. His eyes were burning red, every tendon of his body straining to escape the holy magics. The old man rushed over to the box case, immediately cranked his phone to life. "Remington? Get the hell up boy, he's trying to breach the barriers. Get down here now!"

Rosette could barely comprehend the chaos swirling in her mind from her friend. _Chrono! Calm down! You have to!_

The wind shifted slightly, barely bringing him back to sanity. _Oh god. Rosette…_he hissed in pain, his body fighting his control. _That scent, your scent—oh god, Rosette. You've had that scent since you were thirteen._

_What? Thriteen? What are you talking about?_

_Your scent, before you bleed._

_You –you mean—my period! That is so gross—_

_It's a breeder scent, but weaker. So much weaker, I could force it off, ignore it, you were fine, but now, oh my god, now I can_—he cut off his words in a scream as his body spasmed harshly. A need never met was breaking free, and it terrified him. _I **hate** this! I hate being a fucking **demon!** Rosette, you have to run, get away from me—_

Rosette forced herself to not panic. Normally he was the one who kept his cool in situations like this, and she missed his strength. But right now, he needed her to be the strong one. _Chrono. Breathe. You have to calm down. Please, try!_

_You don't understand! I **want **you! I want you so, so bad, Rosette, I don't know if I can fight it for much longer. Please god, help me…_

Rosette took a deep breath, trying to send him some of her emotions right then to help him regain control. The one thing she felt from him, stronger than anything else, was his body in a state of near pain. Physically, his heart was pounding way too fast, he was burning with what felt like the mother of all fevers, and every part of his body was begging to be set loose. Emotionally, he was fighting for control, shame warring with desire to the point that it felt like he was near to hating himself for this. The girl made her decision. _Chrono?_

She could feel him panting through his mouth, trying to avoid that scent. _Rosette._

_Let me see you._

He jerked in shock. _What?_

_Let me come to you._

_What are you thinking! Rosette, you can't!_

She hurried on_, If you and I were—to—do it—now, before the new moon, you'll have enough control not to hurt me, I know it!_

_No, goddammit! You will not do this!_ He roared.

Was he trying to boss her around? Oh, not in this lifetime. _Why not? This is hurting you—_

_It shouldn't be this way! You shouldn't be with some crazed demon, you should be with __someone else, someone better—_

_Dammit Chrono—_

_You should be with someone you lov—_his whole body spasmed once more, and he cried out, unable to stop himself from slamming in to the barriers.

_Chrono, if you won't_—her voice suddenly cut off in his head.

_Rosette? _No answer. Somehow, she was blocking their link

&&&

Rosette tore out of her room, startling the guards at her door. They immediately began to race after her, but she was smaller and faster, managing to avoid their attempts to catch her. She ran as fast as she could down the hallways, past an anxious Azmaria but was yankd back by the grip of the Abbess.

"What do you think you're doing, Sister Rosette?" she snapped angrily.

"What I have to do, Sister. He needs me."

The Abbess almost flinched at her words. "Do you truly understand what you're saying?"

The girl looked the older woman in the eyes and nodded firmly. "Yes. He's hurting. I have to help him, or something truly terrible may happen. And I won't allow that. I know what I have to do."

The good sister closed her eyes a moment, then let the girl go. She gave a slight smile. "I'll get the guards off you."

"Thank you, sister!" Rosette called over her shoulder, already running for the open grounds.

Azmaria turned worried eyes to the Abbess. "Will she really be okay?"

"I hope so child," she replied. "I suppose its time for her to grow up a bit more."

Please review!


	14. Lead me not into temptation

Hello again! Sorry, on spring break, had a lot of work to do, you all know the story. But I didn't forget you guys, so here's another chap! Hope you guys like it, the heat is on!

Don't own the Chrono gang. Sigh.

Chap: Lead me not into temptation…..

Chrono closed his eyes in the darkness of the garden house, trying anything to distract his mind from what was happening, anything to cool his blood. He tried everything from imagining Rosette being hurt, (which backfired by making his blood boil to protect her), to trying to imagine the Abbess and the Elder getting it on. Actually, the image of the Elder naked would do just fine. That worked for all of seven seconds until the wind started blowing again.

The devil could barely keep control of himself. Twice he had nearly forced his way out of the barriers despite the pain that had caused him. Every thought, every want and desire was focused on one thing. Getting to Rosette before any other male could dare try and claim her-

A sudden shout was heard outside, drawing his attention. He heard a voice that caused his whole body to twitch.

"You have to let me in! Its killing him!"

Rosette! Rosette was here, she was _here,_ she was so _close_—

"Rosette, you know I cannot let you do this," another voice said. The demon started to growl deep in his chest. It was a male, a young male, breeding age, near his breeder! God damn that preist! "This curse can kill you."

"You said it yourself that if we could finish the curse before the new moon, everything would be jake! Let me go to him!" She shouted in frustration. The elder she could bully into getting out of her way in less than five seconds, but once Father Remington had gotten into the picture, things had gotten a lot more complicated.

"Sister Rosette! He's past the point of rationality. Nothing you say will get through to him now," the priest said forcefully.

Rosette's blue eyes hardened in determination. "I'm sorry, Father, but the only way you'll stop me is to kill me."

The priest shifted in to a ready stance, both hands up to strike. "Oh, I think I can come up with an alternative." He suddenly lunged forward, trying to bring her down. The girl rolled to the side, quickly getting to her feet before ducking back down to try and kick out his legs. "I think you're forgetting something," she called out.

"And what would that be?" Remington leapt up and over, clearing her completely, before bringing two fists down hard to knock her out. She dodged in time to avoid unconsciousness, but not fast enough to not get hit. She cried out in pain at the blow to her arm.

A massive surge of demonic energy made the barriers nearly blinding in their light. "**_Rosette!_**" They could hear the sound of energy crackling around the devil inside, hear him howling in pain. "Don't touch Rosette, you bastard! She's **_mine!_**"

Remington turn for one moment, staring in awe at the raw power Chrono possessed to nearly force himself out of three different barriers.

That one moment cost him another concussion. Rosette leapt up, trying something she'd once seen Chrono do in a fight, twisting her leg up and out to use her heel on the back of the priest's head. He went down like a sack of potatoes. The girl checked to be sure he was still breathing, a little scared that he had gone out so fast. "You forgot that both you _and_ Chrono trained me to fight." Seeing that he was unconscious but fine, she turned back to the house. "Chrono? Its okay, I'm alright!"

Slowly, the barriers went back to normal. She cautiously approached the door, one of the newer ones put on by the priests. It was heavy oak, so it took her some time to pull it open. Another gate blocked her way and she stared, incredulous. A portcullis? On a garden shack? Wasn't' this a bit extreme?

She stepped forward to try and get it open when a low growl stopped her. She hesitated, her eyes adjusting to the darkness within the building. A hunched form was on the other side of the one room house, curled up against the wall. Shreds of clothing were barely hanging on from his many morphings, and his breathing was heavy. "Chrono?" She reached out a hand through the iron of the gate.

He moved faster than she'd ever seen, lunging toward the gate, stopping just short of touching it. The devil's eyes were still burning red as he leaned forward, placing both palms on the door. "Rosette." He breathed deeply, trying to calm, but it was only making things worse, her scent—

Too much! Too much of her, too much life, too much like a breeder-

Chrono leapt back, forcing himself from the door. He locked his arms around himself, claws digging into his skin. "No. No, no, no, not like this, _no_," he moaned harshly, going to his knees in effort to hold himself back.

Rosette stared, unsure of what to think. "Chrono? Are you okay?"

"No!" he cried. "Gods, why did you come! You have to get away, far away"—

"I couldn't just leave you like this, dammit! We're friends, if nothing else, and friends don't abandon each other." She reached through the bars again, trying to soothe him somehow. "I don't understand—Chrono—would it be so bad?"

"What, rape?" He said with effort.

"Chrono." He looked back at her at her tone. "If we do this now, we'll be fine, I know it! Would it be so bad to be with me?"

"What?" He asked, incredulous. "Don't you understand? That's not the point! I don't want to hurt you!"

"You won't!" the girl cried out, trying to convince him. "I know it!"

"How the hells can you be so sure!" He shouted, claws drawing blood on his arms. "You've never seen it! You've never seen someone just start loosing their mind, fighting and clawing like some kind of animal, like they were possessed! How can you stand there and tell me it will be alright!"

"Because you are Chrono! Not some animal, not just some devil, but Chrono!"

He growled in frustration. "I told you, emotion doesn't"—

"I trust you!" Those words stopped his answer before he could form one. All he could do was stare. "Chrono, we'll find a way. We always do. No matter what life's thrown at us, we have always found a way to cope. We will now, I promise you."

He could almost be convinced of that, almost, but still—"But this isn't right. This should be with someone else!"

In Rosette's opinion, this was getting ridiculous. "Who else do you have in mind!" She shouted. "Father Remington? How about Aion, I heard he's single!"

"You should be with someone you love for this, dammit!" He roared back.

He was confused when she smiled, going down to pull the portcullis open. Stepping in, she turned around, locking it back into place. With another tremulous smile at him, she walked towards him. "You idiot. It will be with someone I love."

Chrono stared, struck speechless. A slight breeze from the night air blew slowly through the gate, bringing more of the girl's scent to him. Fertility and fire, passion and strength saturated her scent, but there was not one trace of doubt. More of the scent came to him, and his claws dug even further into the flesh of his arms.

Rosette looked sadly at his claws. "Chrono, don't. Please, stop hurting yourself." She took a step forward. "Don't hurt yourself anymore about this, okay?" She reached up and shook out her braided hair, letting it fall loose. She looked down, blushing at her next actions. Shaking fingers undid the ribbon tie of her bloomers, leaving her in nothing but her camisole and night shirt. She looked back up into his face, noticing his body shaking. "Chrono?"

What armor he had formed melted back into his flesh, till his wings flared free of any confines. The bone whip at the back of his head muted somewhat, the spikes blunting their edges, as his hair grew longer. Swift motions kicked off the boots he'd been wearing. "Rosette," was all he said.

He just stared hungrily at her for one long moment, before he lunged. Twisting in midair so that he would take the fall, Chrono pulled her into his arms, wrapping his wings around them both. Desperate hands gripped her body as his knees came up to cradle her further.

It was like his body was trying to swallow her whole-Rosette nearly screamed in fright before trying to relax. He made a sound like a rumble in his chest, pulling her even closer to him. She suddenly noticed something. He was holding her gently. Not clawing or biting at her, but just holding her.

He was still in control. She smiled, twisting a bit in his embrace to look up at him. "Chrono." He stared back for a second before ducking his head into the crook of her neck, breathing deeply. "Rosette. Your scent. Its so good." A raspy tongue licked a spot at her nape, making her shiver. "You taste like your scent, but even better. Let me feel you, let me, let me….."

He began to run his hands along her body, using his knees to hook her legs up so that he could reach them. She gasped at the feel of his rough calluses on her calves, moaning out loud as he dragged his hands higher to feel the soft skin of her thighs. a large warm hand curled over her hip, pulling higher along her belly, slipping under her shirt and camisole.

The moment he reached her breasts, she cried out in shocked pleasure. "Chrono!"

He put his lips to her neck as he let one hand ghost over her chest. His mouth began to lightly suck on her skin as his fingers began to play with her nipple. Hearing her cries pushed even harder at his barely existing control, but the devil held on. He would not, _would not_, hurt this girl so long as he was able.

The moment his arms loosened around her, she rolled, unwilling to stay like this. He tried to roll with her and pin her down, but she jumped back so that she could look into his face. When he reached for her, she shook her head. Her voice shook she said softly, "I want to-touch you." Slowly she brought her hands up to cup his face, pulling him closer. He eagerly followed her lead, bending his height down so that his mouth could touch hers. His lips were so hot against hers, and when he licked, begging entrance, she couldn't deny him. The sensations wrought by his tongue made her moan out loud. Breaking the kiss, she looked back into his eyes, a little scared by what she saw there. Hungry desire and something that burned reflected in his eyes, but she also read something that the sister almost didn't recognize. It was need. He really truly needed her.

Anyone would tell you that Sister Rosette would do anything for a friend in need.

She brought her hand up again, fingers tracing along his neck, making him shiver, before reaching the notched lobes of his ear. The other hand ran through the longer strands of his soft black hair as she skimmed her finger along the edge of his ear. Reaching the feathered tip, she leaned up and kissed it softly.

Chrono froze, his entire body shaking slightly. "Rosette!" He cried out, stunned by the pleasure that single act had invoked. He suddenly felt his mind clear a bit. His breathing slowed, no longer frantic, and his body's shaking lessened. "R-Rosette?"

She immediately noticed the change in him, and pulled back to look at his face. "Chrono? What's wrong?"

"I—I don't know. But when you touched—that spot, Rosette, I—I felt calmer."

"Calmer?"

"I don't' understand it, but I just feel calmer." She moved to take her hand away from his lobe, but he immediately stopped her. "No, please. Don't stop. I—I really like that."

"You mean this?" She leaned forward and kissed the tip of his ear again. Chrono cried out once more at the feel of it. Rosette smiled to herself, glad to find something on her devil to use for future blackmail. Feeling wicked, she began to lightly suck on the tip, letting her tongue come into play. She began to trace the outline of his ear, licking and blowing as she went. Chrono couldn't help his moans, never once guessing that his ears of all things would be so sensitive. When she finally stopped and pulled away, he didn't know whether to protest or thank her. That is, until she shifted in his lap, leaning over to whisper in his other ear, "I wouldn't want this one to feel neglected. Unless you don't' like it?"

"No! No, Rosette, please, don't stop, don't you dare," he moaned. He pulled her closer to him, arms and wings wrapping around her once more. Rosette was surprised at his reaction, a little scared that she could make him react like this. But she found that, oddly, she really liked giving him these feelings. She kissed the side of his neck, sucking as he had done before to her before moving up to lavish attention on his other ear.

&&&&&!

Okay guys, before anyone flames me, I have a good reason for stopping it here. I have tried to post lemons on ff. net before, and the last time, all of them were yanked off the site. Before I write anymore on this, I want to see what you all think. I'm the first to admit, I'm a little steamy. Nothing explicit, mind you, but I do know what I'm talking about. ( How in the world do you think I got pregnant?)

So you guys let me know if you want the lemon posted, or if you want me to have my friend inuficcrzy e-mail it to you.

Sorry to leave a cliffy like this, it goes against my principals, but I really don't want a story yanked off again.

Please let me know what you think!


	15. The things that breeders do

Hey, guys! Sorry its been a while, lots of stuff for college. I decided to post the lemon, with proper warnings. Lets see if this can stand on ff . net.

To Schattenmacht: how did you guess? That was exactly what I was going for.

To everyone else: you guys are awesome! Thank you so much for reading my story.

"_I went to heaven, _

_but couldn't get in,_

_For what I have done._

_Asked Satan to take me, _

_He said, 'You crazy?_

_You were too much fun!'"_—song 'Everything's my fault', wish I knew the band.

Chap: The things that breeders do……

Chrono's back arched in surprised pleasure as she kissed him along the fringes of his ear. He couldn't take this stillness anymore! The devil sent his hands over her body again, muting his claws with great effort. He kept fighting the urge within him, one that was getting stronger the longer he was around her intoxicating scent, to use his claws on her back, use his fangs, taste blood—

Rosette gasped in shock as he dragged his warm hands over her back and down to the skin of her thighs, pulling her closer. She bit him softly on the lobe, making him cry out again. God, but she loved this power to make him feel like that.

His claws dug into her skin, leaving marks across her back. She cried out, pulling back to look into his face. More of his control was leaving him. His eyes were again burning red, aura pouring off of him in waves that kept pulsing stronger and stronger.

Rosette couldn't look away from his eyes as her voice shook. "Chrono?"

The devil pulled her forward so that her whole body was flush against his, then quickly rolled to pin her to the ground once more. Pulling up to look down at her, he bared his fangs, growling low. "Mine," he hissed out, nearly scaring her to death at the lust in his voice. "Mine, forever. No one else's." He leaned down, his fangs grazing the sensitive skin of her neck before biting her just enough to draw two drops of blood. As he pulled back, his eyes seemed to darken further, staring at her as he licked the blood off his canines.

Rosette couldn't look away from the intensity of his gaze, her blue eyes wide in scared excitement. "Chrono?"

"Mine. Mine!" He shouted, his fangs growing longer, his claws no longer blunted. He curled over her, wrapping arms and legs and tail around her shaking body. She tried to get one hand loose, to reach for the spot that had so calmed him—

He growled at her defiance, grabbing both of her wrists in one hand, pinning them above her head. The other hand lengthened its claws, and in one swift move, sliced through her night shirt. He ripped it off her body, leaving her in nothing but her see-through camisole. "No! Mine!"

Hey! That was her favorite shirt! Some of her old courage came back to her, helping to calm the nervous feeling in her stomach. The girl couldn't stop her own growl from coming as she literally snapped her teeth at him. "Then what about you? Huh?" She managed to lean up, biting him hard on the place where his neck and shoulder met. Chrono froze above her, his body shaking in response. As she pulled back, the devil made an odd sound, a cross between a growl and a pleased hum. He stared at her in something like shock.

Rosette growled low, twisting again in his loosened grasp. "Does this make you mine?"

He tightened his arms around her, hair falling across his face and hiding his eyes. "Yes," he said hoarsely, "yours. Always yours." He looked through his bangs at her, more passion and fire in his gaze than she had ever seen before. "You are mine, and I am yours. Always." One knee thrust in between hers, forcing her to open a space for him as his aura began to pulse, growing stronger and stronger. Rosette cried out in surprise, unused to the position---

A sudden sound began to sweep across the abbey grounds, barely registering to the ears of the two in the garden house. Morning vespers were ringing out, the chanting of the choirs echoing around the countryside as the sun slowly began to climb up from the horizon.

Night was over, and morning had come. For now, the phases of the spell were over.

Chrono blinked once, then shook his head furiously trying to clear his mind as the spell's aura left him. It took serious effort, his aura was almost spiking with power. What was going on? The last thing he remembered was holding Rosette. God, she had smelled so good, he couldn't help but want to taste her. But that was about as racy as it had gone, to his knowledge. So why did it feel like he was tangled up in —

Every muscle of his body froze, then began to shiver, eyes clenching shut in horror. _Oh, my god. Think, Chrono, think! What happened next? I don't remember. I don't remember! Please, please god, don't let me have done something terrible. _With greater dread than he had ever felt before, he looked down to the girl he lay coiled around. He had to swallow a few times to make his voice work, disgusted at the odd coppery taste in his mouth. "R-Rosette?"

The sister blinked up at him, surprised by the sudden change. "Chrono?" She suddenly understood as the faintest trace of sunlight hit the window ledge. Dawn? The spell! The spell is over for the night!

The devil scanned her body, searching for any injuries as he pulled away from her. He carefully scented her out, and while she did still have the potent scent of a breeder, it was much weaker than the previous hours. As he examined her, the young devil couldn't help the blush on his face. Oh, lord. She was almost completely naked, or at least she might as well have been. That camisole left little to the imagination. But that show of innocence faded as he saw the bruising on her shoulders and wrists, the red marks along the skin of her thighs, and—

"I bit you?" He said shaking, horrified. The copper taste in his mouth suddenly made sense, and the poor devil nearly threw up in revulsion. He had truly lost control, had lost his mind and bitten her. He ducked his head in shame, disgusted at himself. "Oh god, Rosette, I bit you, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I am so sorry………..."

It finally sank in to the girl that her friend was back in control, and she immediately leaned up to stroke the fringe of his ear to calm him. "Chrono, its okay. Really! I mean, I bit you too. Its okay, everything's jake"—

"Its okay? What do you _mean_, its okay! I hurt you!"

"So what!" She shouted. "You came back to me, and that's all that matters!" She pulled him back down on top of her, wrapping her arms around him. "Shh, its okay. You didn't hurt me, Chrono, its okay, I promise you."

He closed his eyes as he let himself be comforted. "I'm sorry, Rosette."

She simply shushed once more and effectively shut off any other response by kissing him. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped in shock. "Wh—why did you—you just—huh?"

"Stupid, we haven't completed the terms of the curse yet," the nun said determinedly, fighting off her blush. "At least, I think we haven't."

Chrono stared at her, not quite knowing what to say to that. When in doubt, be sarcastic. "You think? I'd imagine that sort of thing isn't something you're not sure about if it happens."

"Well I've never done this before!" she shouted. "How the heck would I know about it!"

"I don't know! I've never done it either!"

Rosette nearly screamed in frustration. "Then how the heck do we know if we've done it!"

"I said I've never done it, not that I don't know how to do it!" he shouted in reply, blushing.

"If you're such an expert than get to it!"

Chrono felt every last thread of patience he had go completely up in flames. "Dammit Rosette! Aren't you scared!"

"Of what?"

"I lost it! I lost control, don't you understand!"

"And you didn't hurt me! Not once!"

He glared at her, motioning to her neck. "Didn't hurt you?"

Rosette looked ready to scream at him when she suddenly calmed. She looked up at him, a look of resigned sorrow on her face. "Okay, you did scare me, just a little. This whole thing scares me. I don't know what to do, or how I'm supposed to act, alright? I just don't know what to do. But I do know what I feel." She pulled him down into her embrace once more. "I love you. And I know that you're scared to hurt me. But I think everything will be alright, I truly do. We're both here, together, and that's all that really matters."

Chrono stared at his contractor, wanting to believe her. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I want to help you through this."

He closed his eyes, then nodded. "Alright, then." He gave her a small smile as she looked up at him with complete trust. Sudden words caused a squeezing in his chest, and with some shock he realized something important. Holy mass, but he hadn't told her that he—"Rosette?"

"Yeah?"

He swallowed hard, fighting back the urge to run. Every time he'd felt this way, something bad always happened. But, technically speaking, the worst had already happened. So what harm could it cause now? He gathered his courage to say words that he'd felt for more than four years for this girl, only now being able to say them out loud. "I love you, Rosette."

Blue eyes went wide, then, to his horror, began to fill with tears. "Rosette? I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have"—he froze as she buried her head against his chest.

"Shut up," she said softly. "Just shut up for once. Just let me have my happy moment, okay?"

"You're happy?" He asked, confusion throughout his voice. "Than why are you—you aren't really crying because you're happy, are you?"

She nodded.

He sat up, pulling her up into his arms to set her in his lap. He held her like he had in the first days they'd been together at the Order, when everything was new and strange and frightening. "Why?"

"Because, dummy," she said, not looking up. "I never thought you'd say that to me. Not like that." She finally looked up into his eyes, her smile radiant. "I never thought you'd say those words and mean them like I meant them. I love you, Chrono. I love you."

He ducked his head in to the crook of her neck, smiling. "I didn't think saying those words would make you happy. I'm glad that it does." His look saddened as he gently traced the wound on her neck, and Rosette gasped as he left soft kisses of apology there.

"Mate with me, Rosette?" Chrono asked.

She smiled up at him, blushing a little as she nodded. The devil curled around the girl once more, wings wrapping around them like a blanket from all the evil in the world. A sudden ripping sound made Rosette glance down and nearly start to giggle. "Here, let me," she said, as Chrono blushingly struggled to get out of the rest of his clothing. Her look of amusement faded as more of his body was revealed to her.

Now, every sister of the Order had had the Talk when they went through their first cycle, so Rosette had an idea of what was going to happen. But no one had ever said anything about this in terms of demons. She found herself starting to shake a little as she looked at him. Everything about his body was different from hers. Where she had curves, he had lines, as if they were made to fit together. Was this how it was supposed to be?

Chrono couldn't look away from Rosette's blushing stare. When she reached out a hand to touch, he noticed the tremors running through her, and took her hand. "Its okay, Rosette." He cocked his head back in a self-depreciating smirk. "I'm just a devil, you know."

"No," she said softly as her other hand came up to touch the length of his arms, feel the beating of his heart in his chest. "You're Chrono. Can I—touch you, now?"

He swallowed hard, "Only if you'll let me kiss you."

She gave him a dry look. "You never had to ask for that." He shook his head as he leaned down to kiss her, "Always have to have the last word, don't you?" He muffled her reply with his lips, wanting to savor this, burn it into his memory.

That kiss nearly drove every thought out of the girl's mind. She wrapped her arms around him, holding on for dear life as she felt her legs shake too badly to support her.

He lowered them both down to the ground, laying on his side. His hands began to skim over her body once more, learning curves and dips. Rosette brought her hands into play too, tracing everything she hadn't been able to reach earlier. She was surprised to notice his scent, that he even had one. It was dark, reminding her of some summer nights in Michigan. Like the times before the summer storms would break, the smell of earth, and the coming rain and lightening. He hummed in pleasure as she explored his body, but it quickly turned into a gasp when she reached his lower regions.

Rosette couldn't help her blush as she touched the skin of his hips, staring. She'd always wondered what that looked like, and now she had her answer. She began to curl her palm around it, surprised by how soft the skin there felt. Chrono nearly shouted at the feel of her hand, gripping her shoulders in reaction. She looked up in alarm. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," he gasped. "No, that feels—good."

Rosette changed her grip on him to a light hold, stroking him to learn more about this part of him. "You like?"

"Yes! Oh god yes, Rosette." _This is just like it was with his ear. Ooh, that give me an idea!_ She smiled wickedly, using her other hand to cup his face, going farther to trace his ear. The girl began to trace the lines of his ear in time to her fingers tracing his shaft. The devil cried out in shocked pleasure at the double assault, feeling something build up within him that he'd never felt before, but recognized what it was. He had to have her with him, had to have— "S-stop. Stop, Rosette."

She did so with a pout. "But you liked it, right?"

"Too much," he panted. Catching his breath, he looked at her with a dangerous smile. "Besides, now its your turn."

"My turn?"

"Yes," he nodded, hands and lips tracing her body. "Your turn to cry out, to feel what I can do to you." He rolled so that he was on top of her, careful of his weight. He began to taste her skin, careful not to go too far. She still smelled like a breeder, still smelled so damn good—he gasped, almost feeling drunk on her scent. His demonic aura began to spike once more, power swirling throughout the room, spilling out across the abbey grounds. He tried to push it from his mind for now, focusing on her body as he pulled the last clothing, her camisole, from her. He needed her to be ready soon.

"Chrono? Your aura….", the girl asked. "It, is it trying to—touch me?"

He looked back at her, red once more bleeding into his eyes. "Yes." He tilted his head back, a feral grin on his face. "Your aura is here too. It wants mine with it. I can feel it. Your whole aura and soul are trying to merge with mine."

Rosette once again felt like she was being swallowed. His body above her, and the feel of his aura in the air around her seemed to press down against her. She was almost frightened until she remembered. _This is Chrono. As long as I'm with him, I'm safe._ She relaxed her guard, the last bit of control she had going up in smoke as she gave it up. _I'm with him. All I want is to be with him._ She felt his aura like a living thing now, a part of him. With effort, she relaxed her efforts to push it off, inviting it to do as it wished, as Chrono was with her body. She cried out at the feel of his mouth and fangs on her breast, of his hands reaching for her down there, where her body seemed to be crying out for him.

His aura began to pulse once more. Sudden sensations began to fill her mind. For one moment, she could hear Chrono's thoughts, heard what he wanted, what needed to happen next.

Rosette screamed at the feel of his mouth as his tongue licked her most private area. "Chrono!" He kept it up, mercilessly using every part of his body to arouse her further. His tail lifted her up, curling around her waist and breasts. His wings curled even more around them both, amplifying the auras around them.

When she felt like everything was going to shatter at last, his aura pulsed, giving her the

feel of what Chrono felt, of her body under his, her legs around him, arms wrapped around him and crying out his name. Rosette screamed as her release came, feeling as though her body was trying to fly and burn at the same time. Chrono immediately came up over her, shifting so that she could feel exactly what he wanted next. Her legs still shaking from her orgasm, she spread them further to welcome him in.

Chrono could barely stop himself from just taking her right then. With more effort than he'd ever had in his entire life, he slowly pushed forward into her warmth. He couldn't help his scream as he sank fully into her, more pleasure thrumming in his body than he'd known was possible. Rosette moaned at the feel of him stretching her, unknowingly sending out her aura. He grinned as he felt what she wanted from his own aura, and willingly gave over to her what he felt from his mind.

The girl gasped, shuddering over and over as she understood what his body felt right then. He pulled back, almost fully out of her before rushing back in, making both of them cry out in shocked pleasure.

(&&&(&&(&

Those watching from the abbey stared in awe as the garden house seemed to erupt in bright colors of astral, nearly shaking the air in their intensity. Azmaria thought she would shake to pieces at the feeling this atrange astral was causing within her. Sister Kate glanced over at her, worried. "Are you alright, my dear?"

"Y-yes. I just—I've never felt anything like this before."

"Neither have I," the abbess said softly. "Let us pray that this means all is well with the two of them."

(&

Whew. Done with the lemon.

Now, for an explanation regarding the auras, in case this creates some confusion. Auras for demons are a part of their own bodies. It can be wounded just like the rest of the body, and this is the part of a demon most strongly affected by any sort of holy barrier.

Auras are also used for communication, by sending emotions and moods into an aura, you can warn people away from you. In mating, its used to indicate the state of the partner's body, to let the other know what they want, desire, or need.

As for why Chrono didn't mention this to anyone sooner, he didn't consciously know about this aspect of the mating. ( there's a lot that poor boy doesn't know…..) Towards the end, his instincts took over, allowing the mating to proceed in the proper demonic manner.

There's more to the story, just so you know. It doesn't just end in the lemon!

Let me know what you all thought of it!


	16. Consequences

Hi guys! And holy cow too! Over four hundred reviews! (stares at screen in shock, nearly has coronary.) Damn, y'all. I have no idea what to say, except **thank you!**

My embarrassed thanks to SilverMiko and RyuuMahou, those who took the time to correct me in a review about the song lyrics. The band is Unwritten Law, the song is called 'Save Me', and the correct lyrics go as follows:

"I went to heaven, but couldn't get in,

For what I have done.

I said please take me, they said, you're crazy.

You had too much fun."

And man, if any bit of song fits Chrono and Rosette's adventures…..

To my surprise, quite a few people have been asking after the baby. She's doing fine and kicking a lot, which I'm told is a good thing. ( tell that to my poor internal organs, to which I think my girl is convinced are her own personal soccer balls.) Well, my husband and I decided that she would be named after four of her great-grandmothers, Daisy May Eleanora Lee.

And I haven't heard a word from my stepdad, happy days all around to everyone!

Chap: Consequences

The sun was well on its way to mid afternoon when Chrono slowly roused from sleep. Man, his head felt like every jazz band in New York City had crashed there last night. Blinking sleep from his eyes, he tried to get his bearing as he stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling. His wings stretched and furled out to the sides of him, revealing the girl sleeping on top of him. A very naked Rosette, sleeping on top of him.

_**What the hells--! **_

The memory of last night came to him, making him alternately blush and smile as he carefully sat up. Rosette rolled to her side, still sleeping deeply. Not that he could blame her: the poor girl had to be exhausted. He scented the room, lingering smells surprising him as he glanced over at the door. A pile of blankets and a basket of food were beside the door, and a faint scent of the abbess was all he needed to know. _Hmm. So Sister Kate wanted to know if we were okay? Hope she didn't get too much of an eyeful, _he laughed to himself. _After all, its not every day you see a nun sleeping with a demon_—he almost slapped himself upside the head as the realization began to sink in.

Instant worry began to over take him. Oh, god, what would happen now? What would Sister Kate say? Apparently she had been worried enough to check on them sometime during the day, but that by no means meant approval. Would she kick them out? What would happen to Rosette!

Worse, what would the Order do? Would they condemn Rosette for consorting with a demon? Would they try to take her away from him, hurt her in some way? How could they keep using the Order's help and resources to find Joshua now? The devil hung his head in shame. He had really messed things up for her now.

He rummaged through the blankets and found some clothing folded in as well for the both of them. He decided to skip that for now and went over to the food basket. Might as well face everyone with a full stomach. The devil absently rubbed the side of his head around his clamps, trying to soothe the headache that was starting to pound there.

The scent of the food woke the girl from her sleep. Man, if she could wake up like this every morning, that would be jake! A pot of coffee, some cold ham sandwiches, a couple of oranges—ye god, but she was hungry. She rolled to sit up, wincing a bit as some places were sore from the previous night. "Chrono? You up?" She asked the room at large as she stretched. "Yeah, Rosette, I'm up." She could help her shy smile as she turned to face him. "Whatever you've got smells awesome, so fork over the food and you won't get hur"—her voice just died away as she stared at him.

Chrono began to get unnerved as she continued to stare without a word to him. "What? What is it?"

"Chr—Chrono, you"—she lifted a shaking hand to point at him. "You're still big!"

He stared at her, then immediately twitched his wings to confirm that they were still there. A look of almost comical surprise came on his face, and his tail coiled in shock.

"What the—I'm still"—

"You honestly didn't notice?" She asked, incredulous.

"N-n—no."

She stared at him like he wasn't right in the head. "You're a little tall like that. How do you miss almost scraping the ceiling with your head?"

He glared at her in annoyance as he rubbed his temple once more. "If you've got things on your mind, you'd be surprised what you don't notice."

She ignored his look. "Does that mean that the curse is still working?"

He shrugged, his hand going again to rub the area of his clamps, "I don't know. To my knowledge, we fulfilled the curse's terms, so as to—why"—he winced full out, nearly falling over as what felt like a spike tried to drive itself into his head. "Goddammit!" He shouted, both hands now clutching the sides of his head.

"Chrono!" Rosette cried out, alarmed. She went over to him, brushing the hair away from his face. "What's going on?"

"I don't know! No, stop!" He cried as she tried to move closer. "Stay away! We don't—know what this is!" He fell to one knee in pain. "Don't come any closer!"

The girl kept her distance for one second, then ran back over to his side. "I didn't leave you last night, I won't leave you now," she said, determined. He could no longer talk, his fingers digging into his scalp, the pain making him pant to catch his breath.

Pulsing veins were forming around the clamps where his horns used to be. Rosette decided to take a chance. "Chrono, let go, let go of your clamps, that's it." She slowly coaxed his hands from his temples, pushing away the hair that fell into his face. "I'm going to try something, okay? Don't freak out, its gonna be okay, alright?" She reached for the clamps, being as gentle as she could to not cause him anymore pain. With a harsh click, they snapped off of his head and face.

What happen next stunned the both of them. From the place where his horns had been torn from him, what looked like bone was starting to poke through. She stared in horrified fascination at the sight as Chrono growled in pain, claws digging into the floor in an effort to not cry out. The bone-stuff seemed to grow further and further out, growing so that they pointed up and back from Chrono's face. They became darker, the pale white turning more ivory, strengthening as she watched. With a start, Rosette realized what she was seeing. Was he really—but no demon could ever—could they? Could they really? The girl stared in wonder.

Chrono breathed deeply in relief once the awful grinding had stopped sounding in his head. The ache was almost completely gone too. He slowly straightened from his bent position to look at her. "Rosette?"

"Chrono?" She shook herself from her daze. "Are you okay?"

"For the most part, I think I'm fine." He closed his eyes, trying to think. Suddenly, his eyes shot wide in shock. "Oh, hell below," he said softly. For one moment, his mouth opened and shut, mouthing words without sound.

"Chrono? What's wrong?"

"I—I can hear you."

She frowned in confusion. "What?"

"Your voice……."

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I can hear your thoughts. Like I could when I had my"—his hands jerked from the floor, going to gasp the sides of his head. What he found made him stare at the girl in stunned surprise. "Ro—Rosette? Do I have—I mean, do you see"—

"Horns?" She asked. "Yes Chrono, I see them. Your horns have grown back." She glanced over to the watch, thrown there haphazardly with her clothes the night before. The watch was dark, all energy gone.

The contract was broken.

The chapter actually doesn't end here, but it would have been _way_ too long if I had posted the entire chap in one go, so the next part will be out soon!

Hope you all like it! Please review!


	17. the hows and whys

Sorry its been so long guys. Loads of stuff's been happening. (don't worry, I haven't delivered yet, I still have plenty of time to finish the story. And I promise you all, I will try to finish before the baby's born!)

But here's another chapter! I know its choppy, but please bear with me, I have no beta!

Oh, yeah. I don't own the Chrono Crusade gang, I just love to mess with them!

Chap: the hows and whys

A nervous tension filled the inventor's workshop. The late afternoon sun shone through the room's only window, bouncing off of the many odd machines and project scattered throughout. The elder couldn't help his excited pacing as the girl and demon watched. "The first, the first in recorded demon history! Chrono, you lucky boy! Now how, how to explain all of this? Oh where, where is that blasted doctor! Should he be here by now? Damn all medical men, never on time when you need them, they should have some sort of time keeper, ought to invent one," the old man rambled.

He was more shaken than he'd ever been in his life. He had never, ever heard of a devil re-growing their horn. Horns in this case. It was thought to be impossible! So how in the hell had Chrono done it? His agile brain whirled in possibilities, stopping only as the doctor came in. "Ah, St. Justice! So what's the verdict with those two?"

The stoic doctor nearly rolled his eyes at the inventor's impatience. Turning, he addressed the nervous couple. "Sister Rosette, Chrono. All the tests are back from the lab, and as far as your physical bodies are concerned, you're both in fine health, except for a few"—he couldn't help his slightly sarcastic arch of an eyebrow—"scratches. As for you, Sir Chrono," he gave a slight smile to the worried demon, "you appear to be in better health than you were previously. Those horns seem to be speeding your metabolism, increasing your vitality."

"Was he sick before?" Rosette interjected. If he'd been hiding something like this from her, she'd beat him senseless. The glare she shot him spoke volumes, and the devil hunched in reflex.

The doctor shook his head at the girl before addressing the demon once more. "It appears that your body has missed having a more regular supply of energy than that of your contractor. As for why your horns have re-grown, I'm afraid the medical community is at a loss. Demonic biology has never really been any human's area of expertise"—

"I've got it!" The elder shrieked. He turned his excited stare on St. Justice. "Run with me here. Is it possible that with the spell's energies supplying Chrono with enough power to stay in his larger form for such a long time, his body could finally repair the damage done? With his horns being torn off? The spell would have acted like a massive supply of astral, being absorbed directly into his body."

"Through the blood, you mean? He wouldn't have needed the horns to collect the energies, he would have been having it supplied directly to wherever his body needed it." The doctor blinked in thought as Chrono frowned, thinking. Rosette tilted her head in concentration. That did make a kind of sense, but—"If that were right, why wouldn't he have healed whenever I used the seal?" she asked. "I've been giving him energy in place of the spell for years, so shouldn't the same thing have happened?"

"Unlikely," Chrono replied absently, still thinking. "Every time we've used the seal, I've had to fight, using up your energy with attacks and immediate injuries before I could, well, finishing healing? I guess?" He looked to the two men for confirmation.

"That makes sense," St. Justice replied. "Hmm. The theory seems sound. Either way, no harm seems to have been done to either one of you," he nodded to them both. "You both may do as you like, but I would recommend Sister Rosette rest a bit more before she returns to active duty."

Chrono looked up at that. Would there even be a duty for Rosette to return to?

The doctor traded looks with the elder before turning back to them. "The abbess has requested to see you as soon as possible. So I told her that you needed a day or so of recovery before you meet with anyone."

Rosette started before shooting him a grateful smile. "Thanks."

He shrugged off her gratitude. "I thought the both of you need to sort a few things out before facing the dragon," he replied. "Now go on back to the garden shed and rest, Sister. You too, Chrono. I'll send some lunch your way soon."

"Thank you, doctor," Chrono nodded. He glanced nervously at Rosette as they walked back out into the light of day. Man, did they ever have something to talk about.

_Afterglow my hind end,_ Rosette fumed. She sat on one end of the bed, Chrono on the other. He looked like he honestly thought she would bite him. True, she _had_ bitten him not even twelve hours ago, but that wasn't the point! Lord be above, but she hated silence. Especially between her and him.

Chrono slowly cleared his throat. "So, um, I guess this means that a lot of stuff is about to change, huh?"

"No kidding," she answered. "Where the hell are we gonna get you a new wardrobe? And if you mention one monosyllable of Satella's name, I will kill you."

"What? Why would I go to Satella for clothes?" He asked, confusion written across his face. What had gotten into her? For one moment he considered using his horns to read her mind, but decided against it. It wouldn't be fair to her.

"Just don't want any competition to show up," the girl muttered in reply. She ignored his surprised look as she blushed.

Chrono suddenly frowned as he picked up the massive wave of uncertainty coming from her aura. Followed by sadness, fear and even a little—guilt? What? What the hell was going through that girl's head? He suddenly felt a twinge of guilt himself. He'd almost forgotten how sensitive his horns were to the auras of people he liked. He'd have to be more careful of that. "Rosette? Are you okay?"

She looked back at him with a bright smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Sure! Why would you think otherwise"—

"Rosette?"

"I mean, its not like this is anything too weird compared to some other stuff we've been through. Is it?"

He reached out a hand and gently cupped her face. "Rosette?" He asked again. "Are you okay?"

She kept her smile, but couldn't look him in the eyes. "No. No, I'm no okay. I'm scared." She looked back at him. "Why did my body react like that? What _was _that? I mean, really, what _was_ that! Its never happened before, and I have no idea what it is, or what it really means. It was tingling and almost burning and it scared me! And why do I still feel that way right now?"

"You do? Wh"—

"When—when you look at me, sometimes, I would feel something like that, before. But nothing like it is now. All you're doing is sitting next to me. Then I think about your arms and hands and your smile and I want something, and I thinks its what we did last night, but I just don't know! I'm scared and I hate it!"

He ducked his head a moment, thinking over her words. "Its desire, I think. To want something like that, and be afraid of it. I know exactly how you feel," he said quietly. "It scared the hell out of me too."

"It—it did?"

"Every time I've ever heard of someone feeling like that, in Pandemonia, it meant something terrible. I think I was more afraid this morning than I ever have been in my life." He gave a self-depreciating smirk. "I was more scared of you than any demon."

Rosette felt like smacking herself. She should have known that Chrono would feel the same way. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Don't be," he said. "Its my fault this happened in the first place."

Bang!

"_Yeeoowww!_" He slowly came back up off the floor, rubbing the back of his head and glaring at her. "What the hells was that for?

"For being an idiot," she primly replied. "This was not your fault. This was Taj-mere's fault. And don't give me any crap about this, that's just how it is."

Chrono smiled to himself. She would phrase it like that. A thought made him suddenly frown, terrified of its implications. "Rosette?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you mean it?" She paused, head tilting in question. "When you said you loved me. Or was that the spell?"

She froze, her eyes going wide before she suddenly blushed. "I meant it. I—gosh, I think this is scarier than what we were just talking about." She looked him in the eyes with a tiny smile. "I do love you, Chrono. Did you"—she ducked her head to the side, unable to meet his eyes any longer, "did you mean it too?"

He smiled, his hand going back up to cup her cheek again. "Yes, I meant it. I love you, Rosette Christopher." She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand, and for one minute he felt the happiness that filled her whole being. He couldn't help his slight surprise at that. He really made her that happy? How had he missed this for so long?

He shook off that thought. He could analyze their relationship later, but right now, they needed to think over a few things. "So what do you want to do now?"

She started before answering. "I think that question covers a lot of things. Mind if you narrow it down a bit?"

He nodded. "I meant, with the demon hunting. What do you think the Order will do about all of this now?"

She grew pensive for a minute, blowing out a breath in thought. "Well, for the reactions of the elder and the doc, I'd say we're okay for now."

"But what about later? What if Sister Kate turns you over to the witch hunters?"

"Why would she do that?"

"You consorted with a demon, or don't you remember?"

"I've been consorting with you for years now! Why would they kick up a fuss now?"

He rolled his eyes in exasperation before he answered. "Consort, noun. A male or female companion to another person, typically for intimate or sexual purposes. To consort, or consorting, with someone is to have sex with them."

Rosette blushed red. "Oh. Bu-but still! I've been with you for so long, why would they say anything now?"

"Because now the whole abbey knows what happened! Don't you think that's going to change _somebody's_ opinion about you just a bit?"

She glared at him. "Chrono, do I look like I care what people say about me? Or the company I choose to keep? I do hear them, you know, when I walk past and what they would say about me. About us! I didn't care then, I don't care now."

"And if they decide to punish you for it?"

"I'm more worried about you"—

"Don't be. I can fly now, and no plane on earth can catch me. But you can't."

She smiled determinedly. "Then I'll go with you."

"Just like that?" She nodded. "And what about Joshua? Without the Order, we're blind to his movements."

She paused, getting a hold on her thoughts. "We know his last location was in San Fransisco. We'll just look for him there and follow the clues. We have much better training now than we did starting out. It was always a hard search. It'll just be harder now. But I'm not gonna worry about it as long as we're together."

He leaned against the bed, one hand on her knee as he looked at her. "You'd abandon the abbey, everything you've known, to stay with me?"

She grinned cheerfully. "Yep!"

He smiled quietly back. "Then no matter what happens, we're good?"

She leaned forward and shyly kissed his cheek. "Yeah. We're jake!"

He nodded. "Alright then. We'll get through this together."

A sudden thought struck her, and she giggled. "Want to know something funny?"

He looked warily at her as he sat back on the bed. "What?"

"While me and Azmaria were doing research on the curse, we found out something. Either he did the spell wrong, or he got the wrong blood for it."

"Huh?"

"The curse, we found similar things to it in this really old, smelly book in the adult section of the archives"—

He frowned at her. "What were you doing in there?"

"and we found out that the spell is normally done on two men."

Chrono went blank for a moment. "Two men?"

She grinned wickedly. "Yup. The spell was supposed to be on you and Remington.

Guess Taj-mere thought he was your contractor."

Chrono thought he was going to dry heave.

So what do you all think? Please review!


	18. Nuns and rulers

Sorry its been so long. But boy do I have a good excuse.

The baby came early! My little girl got impatient and said I want out now! She's here! My baby Daisy! Wheeeeee!

(I think I'm a little over excited, so I'll try to calm down.)

Okay, thanks to everyone who's been reading this, you guys are so awesome. I hope you like this chap, and more will be coming soon!

Chap: Nuns and Rulers

They talked throughout the day and part of the night, trying to figure out what would happen the next day, and what they would do for the worst case scenario. Plans were made to go to Satella for information, and to keep touch with the elder for weapon repair and barrier replacements. They were still trying to figure out how they were going to pay for all this, preferably something that didn't involve Chrono doing all the work as was typical.

The next day came far too soon for anyone's peace of mind. Chrono managed to wake Rosette up with minimal gunfire, since he couldn't kick her out the dormitory window anymore, and she hurried to the dorms to change.

She walked down the stone corridors, wondering what might happen to them both now. _Will they really kick us out? I know we aren't exactly your typical couple, but surely they wouldn't try to hurt us? Chrono's one of the good guys after all, that's got to count for something._ She glanced over to the side of the hall at the sound of whispers. "Morning, Sister Claire, Abbey."

Both girls just stared at her, whispering to themselves as they walked off. _Well that's rude. Wonder what's their problem? _She continued on to the showers, more and more sisters passing her by without saying a word. The looks she was getting were starting to scare her too. They were looking at her like she was some kind of freak. She began to walk faster.

Rosette was grateful to get to the quiet of the wash room. The sound of the water falling drowned out the whispers around her from the other bathers. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to will herself stronger. Chrono had warned her that something like this would happen, but she had hoped that her friends would stand by her. Some friends they turned out to be—

"Rosette? Rosette, are you alright?"

Rosette opened her eyes to the sight of her youngest friend. "Azmaria?"

The apostle smiled. "Thank goodness you answered. I was beginning to worry that you were falling asleep."

"No," the older girl smirked to herself. "As much as I might need sleep from the last two nights, I can't seem to get any. What about you, Az? You been alright?"

"Oh, I've been fine! Don't worry about me! But what about you? Are you alright? We could hear screaming from the garden house. Were you hurt at all?"

"You heard us all the way from the dorms?" Rosette felt her face flame in embarrassment. "Oh, crap."

"Yes, we heard you going on all night and most of the morning," called another girl from farther down the row of stalls. She nervously poked her head around the corner to face Rosette. "What happened in there? I mean, did it hurt? You were screaming for so long."

"What? Hurt? No! Chrono would never hurt me!" the blonde huffed.

"But you were screaming," Az said quietly. "What on earth could make you scream like that?"

Rosette's blush turned an interesting color of eggplant. "You—you—you bunch of perverts!"

"But we want to know!" Another sister called. "What was it like?"

More girls started to talk now, all curious about the goings on of last night. Even one of the older sisters was curious and asked questions. Rosette couldn't help her bemused smile. _So that's what the matter was. They were all curious about what me and Chrono did together._ Her heart warmed at the thought. _I knew my friends wouldn't abandon me like that._

Suddenly one of the ranking sisters charged in, looking ready to kill. "This sort of talk is disgraceful! And it shall stop right this instant! All of you, finish up your business and get moving, practice is in twenty minutes." She whirled around to face the girls, Azmaria shaking in fear. "Rosette, you should be ashamed of your self, letting a demon defile you like that. Girls, you are to have no further contact with Rosette Christopher until further notice. You finish your washing right smart and report to the abbess."

Rosette was outraged. "By who's authority"—

"My authority, you little demon slut!" The nun shouted. "Now get out of these showers and get to the abbess!"

Rosette stomped over to her clothes, murder on her mind. But it was what came from sweet Azmaria that made her stop in her tracks, whirling around in shock.

The young apostle stood facing the older nun, fists clenched and shaking. "You—you mean bully! You're just saying those things because you're jealous that Rosette has someone that loves her!"

The sister looked down her nose at her. "You don't know what you're talking about, little girl. She has been defiled by that devil of her own free will."

"He didn't defile her! She was just trying to help him through a curse"—

"By letting a creature of hell touch her?" The nun sneered.

"Because she loves him and Chrono loves her!" Az shouted. "Everybody knows that"—

"She consorted with a devil! As far as I'm concerned, she's unclean, unfit to walk on sacred ground! I hope they send her to the Inquisition!" Everyone gasped at those words. The inquisitional squad was based on the older form from the Catholic religion to seek out demon worshippers and either reform or punish them. Rumors abounded about what happened to people that went before the Inquisition, and none of them had happy endings.

But Azmaria stood her ground. The look in her eyes became so much older than a child of twelve should ever have as she spoke. "May they find a way to forgive such poison from you, for how could God be angry with two people in love?" She turned and walked back over toward Rosette as the nun sputtered in fury. "I'll go with you to see Sister Kate." She motioned over her shoulder to the nun dismissively. "I'd rather not stay someplace with her type around."

"Me too," said one girl.

"And me," said another.

"Hey, I don't want to stick around her either!" said another girl. More girls left the showers, following after Rosette. "If Sister Kate tries to kick her out, I'm leaving the abbey," said Sister Anne. A great many of the girls there nodded in agreement.

Rosette couldn't help the few tears that escaped around her smile as she walked down the hall. "Thanks, Az."

The girl blinked in surprise. "For what?"

"For what you said back there. That was amazing," Rosette said. "I didn't know you had it in you to be so brave."

"Neither did I," Az said, her voice suddenly shaking. "I thought I was going to shake to pieces."

"You did great, hon," said a sister behind them. "If you didn't say it, I was going to." The other girls nodded. The group stopped at the threshold of the abbess's door. Rosette turned and smiled at them all. Looking a little at a loss for words. "I—I don't know what to say. Well, maybe thank you. I mean, I knew I had good friends. I just didn't know I had great friends."

The sisters smiled back, some even giving her the thumbs up. "Good luck, Sister Rosette," Azmaria said. "I know Sister Kate will let you stay." She paused as Rosette walked into the lion's den. The young girl raised her eyes upwards, praying for her friend.

&&&

Rosette couldn't really describe what she was feeling right then. She was both completely calm and shaking in her boots. She knew that even if the worst happened, she and Chrono had a plan and would be fine. But still, Sister Kate was the closest thing she had to a mother. If asked, she would have had to say that her trepidation was more in disappointing the Abbess than anything else. She stepped further into the room, facing towards the couches where the woman sat.

The Abbess motioned the girl over, inviting her to sit. "Are you feeling alright, Rosette?"

"Um, I'm fine, considering the lack of sleep for the past two days," the girl replied.

"And considering the—activities as well, I presume."

Rosette gaped at her. Kate loved getting the better of the girl: it could be so much fun when property damage wasn't involved. "Do close your mouth, Sister Rosette, you'll catch flies like that."

"So I am still a sister?" She asked as she sat down into the cushions, nervously accepting a cup of tea the nun offered.

The nun sighed through her nose. "That is entirely up to you and Chrono, now. Whatever you decide to do, I will help you both."

Rosette nearly spat hot tea out her nose. "Ju—Just like that?"

Kate's eyebrows rose. "Would you like for me to make this difficult?"

"N-no, it's just—I—I just really thought that it would take some persuading, or something." She sat further back into the cushions, tea forgotten, her look pensive.

Kate looked over at her. "Is there something wrong?"

Rosette glanced back up at her, finally blurting out, "Are you angry with me? Why **aren't** you angry with me! I come in here, expecting to get blown past the moon with your screaming, _and you're all calm, and I don't know what to say now, **so what's really going on with you!**_" She panted trying to catch her breath.

Kate smiled to herself, mentally laughing at the girl's state. "Well, I can't say that I'm really surprised at what happened."

The girl blinked in surprise. "You aren't?"

"Not really. I know how you are, Rosette. I knew that you would do everything in your power to help Chrono, even go so far as to"—she flushed—"have relations with him, if it would ease his pain. You both have been in love with each other for a very long time." She watched the girl for her normal reaction of denial at her last words, and when she heard none, couldn't help but smile. "So he finally told you. And you finally told him. Good on you both for that. I think the both of you have done some growing up.

"But have either of you given thought to what will happen now? What you both want to do?"

Rosette nodded. "We were prepared to go to Satella if things went bad here, so we could still have information on Joshua. But we really want to stay here. We'll be as we were before, just with this new part of us too, you know?"

"So you still want to fight in the Militia?"

"Of course I do! I'll never give up on Joshua!"

"I never thought you would, Rosette, but now you may have something else to worry about. Or rather, someone."

Rosette frowned in confusion. "Huh? You mean, Chrono? He can take care of himself"—

Kate explained her comment. "No, no. What happens if you become pregnant?"

Rosette stopped in her tracks. "Oh. Um, Chrono's pretty sure that humans and demons can't have children."

"I think that he is misinformed," Kate said, folding her hands together. "There have been some cases of half devils recorded in the Archives. You both might want to be careful in the future. Assuming that you both will continue your—(ahem)—activities with each other."

Rosette blushed, but nodded. "We will be careful, Sister Kate, I promise."

"Good." The nun paused, collecting her thoughts in order. "Well, to sum everything up, you may still be in the militia, however, we cannot keep you as a real Sister. We would have you on call as a separate unit, and we could possibly begin to train you both to be specialists."

The girl's eyes lit up. Specialists were the elite of the Order's fighting force, able to go on covert missions on their own, like Father Remington. "Really?"

"Yes. You both may stay here, living in the garden house if you wish."

Rosette smiled, slightly embarrassed. "Thanks. It would be kind of awkward, us being apart after all of this."

"I agree. But there is something I must ask you." The intense look in the Abbess's eyes made Rosette shrink back against the cushions. "What?"

"Does Chrono intend to do the right thing by you?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, he does intend to marry you, right?"

"Uh"—

"Because if he doesn't, I might just have to do him very real physical harm."

Rosette couldn't help her sputter. Marriage? "Well, um, we, ah—I guess so?"

The sister lit up like a display window at Christmas. "This is wonderful! How many people do you want to invite to the wedding? When should we have it? We'll have to have it soon! I haven't been to a wedding in ages! Oh my, the things we'll need to arrange"—

As the Abbess rambled on, Rosette had a feeling that things were about to get very interesting around here.

Please Review!


	19. Chapter 19

Hey guys! Almost 600 reviews, can you believe it? Wow.

Thanks for all your support, I really love you all. And Daisy sends her love too!

This chapter was inspired by Abbot and Costello's 'Who's on First?' Hope you all like it!

Chap: Who's getting married?

Scene change: back outside, the garden house, about two hours after Rosette went to talk to the Abbess

Chrono blinked at Rosette. "I beg your pardon?"

The extremely flustered nun tried to tell him again. "Sister Kate—marriage—wedding---dresses—do you---I mean—ah, crap!" That was actually more coherent than the first time she'd spoken.

He glanced over to the elder to see if he had made any better sense of that than him. The old man shook his head bemusedly as he swept the floor. He and Chrono were currently in the process of cleaning up the mess inside the house to make a livable space for the new couple. The devil put down the trashed bed he was carrying single-handedly out of the garden house and came over to her side. "Rosette? Take deep breathes and try to calm down. Now what are you saying about a wedding?"

Poor Rosette's brain was in a tizzy. "Sister Kate wants a wedding. In the chapel. With bridesmaids! Puke-pink dresses, flowers, and everything!"

His eyebrows went up in shock. "Sister Kate? What about the Order?"

"She said it was jake, gonna be a specialist."

"Really?"

"Train a few months then head back out in the field," she dazedly went on.

"I would have thought she was getting to old for that," he muttered under his breath. He spoke his next thought louder. "So what now?"

"Be as we are, and this too," she replied.

"What?"

"I said we'd be as we were, and now this too."

Okay, now he was confused. "What are you saying?"

"That's what I told the Abbess about us."

"Oh." That was actually pretty poetic, for Rosette. "Now what about the wedding?"

Rosette couldn't help her surprise. "You want to _have_ a wedding?"

"Well, its her wedding, I don't really see what I'd have to do with it."

She frowned in confusion. "What?"

"Sister Kate, you said she's having a wedding, right?"

"Yes, and you have everything to do with it, you're the reason why she's having it!"

He frowned in confusion. "Huh? Why would I be the reason for it?"

"Because you slept with me!"

"How the hell does my sleeping with you have anything to do with Sister Kate having a wedding?"

"She's having the wedding for us!"

"What, in our honor or something?"

Rosette was convinced her partner had officially become brain dead, so she spoke in a voice normally reserved for the mentally ill. "No. She's having the wedding for us."

"Then, who is she marrying?"

"Us, you idiot!"

Chrono reeled back in shock. "What! She's marrying _us?_"

"You don't want her to marry us?"

"I thought the order was against polygamy!"

Rosette stared at him with frustrated confusion. "What are you talking about? And will you shut up, old man!"

The elder was currently in the process of laughing so hard, tears came from under his goggles.

"You said that Sister Kate wants to marry us, right?"

It suddenly dawned on Rosette what the problem was. "She wants to marry us _to_ _each other,_ you idiot, not us to her!"

"Oh. Then who is _she_ getting married to?"

"She's not marrying anybody!"

"But you just said she was marrying us!"

"No! She's going to perform the ceremony to _marry_ us, not actually marry _us!"_

"Then why's she having a wedding?"

"The wedding is for us!"

"Its for us?"

With great force of will, Rosette restrained herself from killing her future husband. Apparently, Chrono had no knowledge of human marriage customs. "A wedding is the ceremony of two people getting married. She's going to organize it and then perform the ceremony to marry you to me and me to you," she ground out between clenched teeth. "Understand?"

"Ohhh," he said thoughtfully. Suddenly the look on his face changed to confused surprise. "We're getting married?"

Rosette broke out the guns at this point.

(&&

Two hours later……

Chrono privately thanked god that he was back in his real form. If he hadn't been, Rosette might have truly killed him with that last little argument. It had taken some doing, but he eventually managed to calm her down enough to get a full explaination out of her. Once he'd understood the situation, he had gone to inform the Abbess that he would be more than happy to marry Rosette, and honored that she would perform the ceremony. He had also inform the nun that according to demon laws, he and Rosette were already the equivalent of married. Once you mated with a breeder, you were hers for as long as you lived. Only death could break that bond.

Word had spread like wildfire across the abbey. No one really knew what to think about all of this. No one had ever heard of a human marrying a demon before. Hearing this, Rosette had cheerfully replied that there was a first time for everything.

Some of the sisters were trying to stop the preparations, threatening to go to the Inquisition board. Sister Kate had curtly informed them that if they had a problem with it, they were more than welcome to transfer to the San Francisco or Chicago Orders. That shut up the majority, and those that were still disgruntled were asked to see Father Remington immediately.

The wedding was scheduled for two weeks from now. She had wanted something simple, nothing too fancy, but the other sisters wouldn't hear of it. The size of the cake alone threatened to create a world record. The dress was being worked on by some of the best seamstresses the abbey had, and the militia men had been drafted for decoration detail.

All in all, things were going surprisingly well.

Except for Rosette.

&&$#

Please review!


	20. answering

Sorry its been so long, babies slow things down a lot!

Don't own the demons or nuns.

Chap: answering

The nun in question was sitting in one of the smaller wooded courtyards around the abbey grounds. She rested in the cool shade, lying on her back to watch the sun's light dance in the tree branches.

Azmaria nearly ran past her in her haste to reach the sister. " Rosette! There you are! Everyone's been looking for you." She came closer, noting the pensive look on her friend's face. "Rosette, is something wrong? Rosette?"

The girl glanced up. "Hmm? Oh, hey, Azmaria! When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago." The apostle looked at her with concern. "Is something wrong? You look upset." She gasped. Its not about he wedding is it? oh Rosette, you know he loves you more than anything"—

"No, no, nothing like that," Rosette waved her off, getting up from her spot. "Don't worry so much, Az, you'll get wrinkles." She made to walk off—

"Rosette."

The girl's tone made the nun flinch, coming to a stop. "Yeah?"

"Sit."

She went back over to the tree, both girls sitting down. She looked at the younger girl sheepishly. "Do I have to talk about it?"

"Yep," the girl nodded. "Now talk to me. Is it something about the wedding?"

"No. Yes, I mean---it's more to do with Chrono."

"Like what?"

"I mean---I've heard so much about him and Mary Magdalene, but I still don't know anything about them. Did he love her like he says he loves me? Does he still? And what about Aion and all the demons? Will they try to hurt him more because of this? Could I be a weakness to him?" She ducked her head, pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. "And what about me?"

Az tilted her head curiously. "What about you?"

"I won't live as long as he will," she said. "He told me that we'll be together as long as we're alive. But I can't live as long as he can. What will happen to him when I die?"

"Have you tried asking him about this?"

"I'm scared to," the nun said softly. she shook her head. "Actually, I don't know if I'm scared of asking or of the answer he'll give me. I just don't know how to say it, I guess."

Azmaria tilted her head in thought. She sighed. "I wish I knew what to say, but I don't think I can imagine what its like to be in you situation. What do you think will happen to Chrono when you die? I mean, really?"

The nun didn't have to think long. "I'm afraid he'd try to follow after me."

"No," the apostle shook her head. "Not what you're _afraid_ he'll do, what he _will_ do."

Rosette thought some more. "He—he would want to follow me. He would be so unhappy and sad, and maybe even regret meeting me."

"I could never regret meeting you." Both girls whirled to face the demon. He looked at Rosette, an indescribable look on his face. He came forward, sitting on his heels beside her. "I would be sad, that's true, but I could never regret meeting you and everything we've been through together. How could you think that?"

"I—I just don't want you to be sad! You've been unhappy enough for the whole world! I don't want to be what causes you sadness!" She cried. "I'm sorry I can't stay with you longer, I'm sorry I can't live as long as you, but I'm going to hurt you so badly when I die and I can't stand it!" she took deep breathes to calm down, tears actually streaking down her cheeks.

Chrono pulled her into his arms, wrapping her up tight in his embrace. "I don't care," he said softly. "I'd rather have five minutes of paradise than eternity alone. And even when you die, I'll have all the memories we've made to keep me going."

Azmaria quietly made her exit, knowing that those two had much to talk about.

Rosette snuggled deeper into his embrace, loving the feel of his arms around her. "How much did you hear?"

"Almost all of it," he answered. "You mentioned something about Mary Magdalene?"

She blushed. "Yeah." She decided to be blunt, as usual. "What was she to you?"

He thought before answering. "She was a catalyst, I guess."

"A what?"

"A catalyst. She caused the change in me the most. Helped me to focus and find out what I really wanted in my life and how much I was willing to risk to get it. She was the first real friend I remember having. I guess you could say that she taught me more than any teacher I'd ever had, and left me more confused than I'd ever been."

"Sounds confusing."

"She was. But she was a good person." He looked away. "I think I helped kill her." He told her everything. From the idea of revolution in Pandemonium to the escape to the American west. From the completion of Eden to the tragedy of Mary being possessed by Pandemonia. He told her of the travels with the prophetess and the battle with Aion. And how Mary had died in his arms at the end. "I can't ever really forgive myself for that."

She turned his face to look at her. "Do you really think that she holds it against you?"

He thought about it, really asking himself that question. "No."

"She probably forgave you a long time ago," the girl said. "Now all you really need to do is try to forgive yourself."

He nodded. "I'll be thinking of that when you die," he said, sorrow threading through his voice.

He found a chuckle. "Who knows, you may even come back to me someday."

She lifted her head from his shoulder, a puzzled look on her face. "Come back?"

"Some people think that when you die and go back to the rivers of astral, you can come back and be reborn as another person," he explained. "Knowing you, you'd want to be back in the action so badly, you'd be reborn in seconds."

"You really think so? I could come back to you?"

"I'd have to fall in love all over again, but I think I could survive," he quipped.

She knuckled his head in retaliation. "Smart-alek!"

"Owww! You know, I really ought to stop you from doing that now."

She gave him a look of doom. "You think you can?"

He paled, recognizing that look. "Uh-oh."

)(&(

Next chap; the wedding! Please review!


	21. Before and after

Hey guys! I can't believe it! Over seven hundred and ten reviews! Is that nuts or what! Hurray!

Don't own the nun, devil, or anyone else in Chrono Crusade. Don't own Sherlock Holmes either.

Oh, I decided not to go into the ceremony because when I wrote it the first time, it was so damn cheesy I almost choked on it. Literally. So I tried again. It _got **worse**_, to my stunned horror. So I decided to leave it out. Let your imaginations fill in the gap.

This is not the final chapter!

Repeat: this is not the final chapter! There will be more after this!

Chap: Before and after

_Bang!_

Rosette cocked her gun again, taking aim. Careful precision was needed to complete this crucial shot. One millimeter off could ruin everything. She found her mark, leveling it perfectly in her sights—

"Sister Rosette! What are you doing?"

Her finger squeezed the trigger out of reflex. _Bang!_ "Awww," she groaned. "One more shot and I would have made a portrait on the wall."

The abbess stared in abject shock at the young nun. "With bullet holes?"

"Yeah! You know, like Sherlock Holmes did. I always wanted to try that," the girl prattled on, oblivious to the growing danger the abbess presented behind her. "You know, it doesn't look half bad."

Sister Kate grit her teeth so hard she was certain that she heard a few crack. "If it weren't your wedding day, I swear I'd do something guaranteed to hurt right now," she managed to get out. "What is your problem?"

The young sister had chased the other nuns out of the garden house an hour ago as they were finishing up the wedding preparations. Her hair was up in an elegant twist, curls bouncing off to one side with small blue violets woven in through out. The dress was puffed at the shoulders, the sleeves flowing down her arms and barely letting her hands peep out. The skirt was embroidered with golden thread in crosses along the hem, a larger cross sewn into the bodice. She wore a simple veil that was now sitting askew, as she couldn't aim properly with that in her face.

Rosette suddenly looked rather small as she sat on the bed of her new room. She looked up at the abbess, uncertainty written across her face. "I don't know."

Sister Kate took a few calming breathes as she gathered up her ceremonial robes to sit on the bed. She pulled the girl into her side in a hug. "What is it?" she asked, concern in her voice. "Still worried about Chrono?"

"No, not really," she answered. She began twiddling her fingers. "It just—i—I'm not really sure."

"Are you scared?"

The girl thought about that a minute. "I think I am."

"Its not unusual," the abbess answered. "It's your wedding day; everyone gets nervous on their wedding day. I'd be more worried if you weren't."

Rosette laughed. "That makes no sense."

"It does to me and that's what counts," the woman answered. They rose from the bed, Kate fussing over the slight wrinkles in the beautiful dress. She smiled at her former charge. "He's lucky to have you. If he ever treats you badly"—

"I will kill him myself," the bride replied, rolling her eyes. "I know, I know. I've heard it from Father Remington, the Elder, most of the Militia, and now you. Will you all relax? I can take care of myself. And Chrono, too. We'll be fine," she said, stepping out into the bright sunlight. "We'll be just fine."

Kate smiled. "Yes you will, my dear Rosette." _And thank God for reverse psychology_.

)&)$

Chrono paced outside the main chapel in long strides, trying to burn off this nervous energy. The Elder had tried to keep up with him, but quit after ten minutes. "Calm down, boy," he said from his seat by the stairs. "You act like you haven't already got to the exciting part yet."

"Huh?"

"You've already had a wedding night, you know, now you just have to get through the day."

"Elder!"

"Oh, calm down. Besides, you're much too tense. It's your wedding, not an execution."

Chrono arched an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, so maybe it can be an execution being married to that trigger-happy maniac. But she's a good woman to have by your side, you know that."

"Of course I do! I'm not an idiot," Chrono replied. He shot a glare at that the amused look on Remington's face. "One word out of you, and I'll"—

"Patience, Chrono. We're outside a church," the priest admonished. He flashed a grin.

"Everything will be fine, you know."

"No I don't," the demon snapped back. "What if she decides to not get married? What if she thinks she can do better? What if Aion comes after her because of this? What if"—

_Pow!_

"Ouuuuch!" He cried. He got up from his forced crouch, glaring daggers at the Elder who had pulled a Rosette and slapped him upside the head. "What was that for!"

"You idiot! Don't you think Rosette hasn't had the same thoughts about you?" That made the devil stop in his tracks. "She's worried about what the future may bring. We all are. But she knows that what's to happen will happen, and the best we can do is try to deal with it as it comes. We can shape our destiny by the choices we make and this choice you have made together. Have faith in each other, and all will turn out as it should."

The devil and priest both stared at the older man. "What?" He barked. "Can't I get all philosophical too?"

"I'm sorry," Chrono replied, a dumbfounded look on his face. "I just didn't see that coming from you."

"Nor I," Remington answered. He glanced over to the side door of the chapel, smiling as he saw Sister Kate leading in the young bride. "I think it's safe to go in now."

"Like hell, it is." Chrono swallowed hard, and squared his shoulders. "Have faith," he repeated to himself. "Just have faith, and this will all turn out okay." He walked in, his two friends beside him.

The reception:

The mess hall had been cleared of its rows of benches and tables for the party. Flowers and decorations were everywhere, and the band had already started playing by the time Rosette and Chrono arrived. The tiered cake took center stage. Rather, all three of them. The sheer size of the crowd had made multiple cakes necessary.

Rosette couldn't stop laughing at the look on Satella's face. The jewel witch had come to the wedding as a maid of honor, not knowing about Chrono's transformation. Once she'd taken a good look at him, however, her opinion of younger men had changed forever. "Ach, mein gut friend! How could you marry that blonde cow! Wouldn't you want a more mature woman beside you?"

No one had objected when Rosette had sent the summoner face first into her piece of cake.

The first dance was traditionally supposed to be between the bride and groom, with the second going to the bride and her father and the groom with his mother. Both biological parties being absent, (or dead in this case), Chrono had paired with Sister Kate, and Rosette with Father Remington. (The number of jealous stares was staggering.)

Azmaria was shyly led out on the dance floor by a nervous Sven, glowing in her beautiful bridesmaid dress of red silk. They spun awkwardly around the floor in a fast waltz, gaining more grace as the dance went on. The Elder had been chasing young girls all over the hall trying to get a dance. The devil and his nun exchanged smiles as Remington led Kate onto the floor. Rosette grinned outright as the tango began to play, the priest sweeping the startled abbess off her feet and into the erotic dance.

"They look good together, don't you think?" She asked rhetorically.

Chrono chuckled. "How long do you think it'll take for her to kill him if he gets fancy?"

"Five minutes. Tops." Satella began to talk to them about their plans for the honeymoon, making them miss the riveting couple's dance. To both their surprise, however, when the dance ended, Remington still had his head.

Sister Kate demurely came over to sit by Rosette as Remington went to Chrono's side.

"So," the nun asked mischievously, "did you have fun?"

"There's something about the way a man dances that can tell you everything about him," Kate replied dreamily. Rosette stared in shock. "If he's kind, gentle, caring…."

"He dipped you, didn't he?"

"Seven times," the abbess said happily. She cleared her throat, blushing furiously as she collected herself. "We shall talk of this no more, correct?"

"If you say so," the bride giggled.

)(&

The eagle flew over the abbey grounds, circling through the warm air currents. It had seen the events unfold over the last two weeks, and what had resulted from them. It had much to report to its master.

Aion would be very interested in such news.

(&)$

Please review!


	22. Apostles and Devils

Man, I can't believe how many reviews I'm getting. Crazy, man. Crazy. But I love it!

Um, some parts of this are a little disturbing, but sue the devils, not me. It was all their idea. oh, and in one of my other stories, Int eh Spider's Web, i say that Jenai used to wrok for Taj-mere, before he was a sinner, just so you know!

Chap: Apostles and Devils

Aion smirked as he watched the couple walked into the garden shed, their new home. He'd seriously thought about leaving them a house-warming party, demon style, but had rejected the idea. This was simply too curious to disturb just yet. It would need careful monitoring.

He pulled away from the scrying glass, dismissing his pet eagle after rewarding its efforts. It flew off to its aerie on the other side of the complex, a few molting feathers shed in its wake. The devil leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms out as he shifted on the couch of the great room. The great room was spacious and filled with windows with a gorgeous view of the skies of Eden outside them. Couches and end tables were scattered throughout the room, resembling the lobby of some grand hotel. A fine bar, completely stocked at Jenai's insistence, was off to one side.

He cracked his knuckled in anticipation. "What to do with this information?" He glanced over at Shader, and was startled at the sight.

She was frozen in place, staring at the glass even though it was blank. Her wide green eyes were huge in shock, and her fingers were clenched together. "Shader," he called, waving a hand in front of her face. "Eden to Shader?"

She nearly went airborne, she jumped so high. "Yes?" She shook her head to compose herself. "Yes, Lord Aion?"

"You seem greatly troubled by our new lovers. You weren't pining away for Chrono, now, were you?"

"Huh?" Her face scrunched incredulously. "Powers be, no! I'm just, surprised?"

He looked at her over his glasses. "A question for an answer? You know I hate that."

"Well, it's just that I've never heard of anything like this before," the inventor muttered. "I didn't think humans and demons could marry, let alone copulate."

"They had assistance from Jenai's old boss, if I'm not mistaken," Aion said. "The geas created a simulation. Humans cannot produce the pheromones needed to incite breeding in demons."

"Not in the usual quantities needed," Shader corrected.

He jerked around to look at her. "You mean that humans can make pheromones?"

Her ears twitched at his surprised tone. She flicked her tail back and forth as she spoke. "Well, of course they can. Most living creatures on this planet make some form of pheromones in differentiating strengths in their daily interactions. Humans have always produced them, but are no longer consciously influenced by them. It's more on the subconscious level now. Like how to tell if a potential mate had different immunities to certain diseases than the other person has. They might not notice it happening, but it still does in a big way."

"So a demon with a good nose could pick up the scent?"

She nodded. "It would be extremely subtle, like trying to tell the difference between apple types by scent. Its all apple, but one is just slightly different from the others."

"But it is possible," he murmured. "That it works for demons as well as humans is now obvious. Chrono always could smell sweets cooking a mile away. I suppose the same principal applies for human pheromones." He stroked his chin in thought. "Shader, what are the possibilities that Apostle genetic coding is linked in families?"

"Hmmm. Around forty to fifty percent, I'd venture to say. You suspect that the girl could carry some of the Apostle factor?"

"Not just suspect," he answered. "I'm almost positive. Do you remember that delightful little toy that you gave Chrono, that watch? Didn't you calibrate it specifically for Mary Magdalene and Chrono's use?"

"Yes, now that you mention it," the cat devil frowned. "In truth, I'm not quite sure why it worked for this Rosette Christopher. But if she does carry some of the Apostle factor in her genetic code, that would explain it," she said. "I had to compensate for the extra pull of astral that Apostles create. The girl has lived so long because of this pull. I'd always thought that she was supposed to have died three years ago from the drain, but now I understand why she's still alive."

Aion smiled. "A human and demon hybrid would be interesting to see by itself. But a cross between a devil and an Apostle should be most intriguing."

"I thought that it was biologically impossible for our species to interbreed," she said.

"Normally, you would be right. The so called half-demons of human lore are nothing more than fetuses with legion injected into them. The resulting creatures are never fully stable. But a true cross-breed might very well possess some very interesting qualities that could prove useful to our cause."

She cocked her head, thinking of the possibilities. "What sort of qualities are you looking for?"

He went quiet for a moment, almost making Shader think that he simply wasn't going to answer her before he spoke. "I would want for them to have all the strength and power of a demon, all the beauty that we are heir to. And the immunity to those wretched religious idols humans are so fond of." He nodded. "As much as I despise their weakness, humans do have something I would wish for any hybrid. A soul. One that can die and be reborn over and over, never truly dying. Immortality for a devil, finally obtained."

She nodded at the thought. It was said that long ago, devils and humans were given the choice to either have a spirit and live extremely long lives, or to have a soul and be reborn over and over again. The devils chose long life, the humans, a soul. Demons soon learned that long life was scant comfort on death. After death for a devil, there was nothing. No afterlife. Not even memory. Just oblivion.

"Be sure to keep an eye on them, Shader. If they succeed in creating a true human-demon hybrid, we just may find ourselves with a new companion here in Eden," Aion said with a light smile. "Its been so long since we've had any young children on board."

Shader twirled happily at the thought. "Oooh, I can't wait! We can make a little room and a crib and all kinds of little stuffed animals"---

He shook his head as he walked off from the child-happy maniac he called his chief scientist. Pacing down the hall, he headed out to one of the many balconies tracing the outline of Eden. The devil breathed the cold high altitude air with an appreciative sigh. It was so peaceful up here. It made it so easy to forget al the things that had happened over the last seventy years.

He glanced off to the perch where he and Chrono had fought for the life of the Apostle Mary Magdalene. He shook his head. Why had his comrade chosen to protect that mortal? He just hadn't understood that there was no other way to save Mary. Once Pandemonia had possessed the girl, it was kinder to kill her. The demon queen would have eaten Mary away, bit by bit, until there was nothing left but a soulless husk of a girl with a devil inside.

He was amazed that Chrono and Mary had lasted as long as they had out in the American wilderness. Her Apostle factor was all that had held the demon off. But it was still kinder to kill her in the end. He knew Chrono would realize that someday.

But now this new business. How could a human and a devil mate? It was unthinkable! After all, not only did certain pheromones and scents need to be present, but both partners had to be of equal strength in spirit. They would be fighting each other for dominance, and surely the girl would have been killed by such a struggle. But she obviously had not. How was that possible? Was it the result of her slight Apostle factor? The efforts of that blasted Order, some kind of new technology to supply the girl with strength or astral of some kind? Or could that soul of hers have played a part in it?

Human souls were notorious for creating all kinds of havoc with any sort of magic or energy unless they were carefully controlled. Perhaps the contract had enhanced some kind of energy? Somehow?

He shook his head to clear it of such thoughts. But he kept coming back to the question Shader had asked. 'What sort of qualities are you looking for?'

He had been truthful in his answer, just not complete.

'_It is the human mentality that I would also want for them to possess. There would be no hive structure, no Queen that would demand a sacrifice of strength for the race to survive. There would be no breeders, no pair torn apart by conflicting scents. No one would ever suffer like we have suffered. No one would ever be forced to bow to a simple scent ever again._

'_No one would ever be forced against their will like I was ever again._'

())$)$(&

Ta da! Please review!


	23. Hybrid theory

Hi guys! Sorry it's been so long on the update, but I have three words that explain everything.

_My daughter's teething_.

Chap: Hybrids, hammers, and loss of duty

Shader glanced through the scrying glass again, trying to recapture the faint astral mark that had appeared a moment ago. Her face scrunched in disappointment. The scientist was so hopeful about this theory. If Chrono and Rosette truly could conceive children together, the possibilities were endless! Depending on the child's biology, that is.

Aion wasn't the first to speculate what a human-demon hybrid would be like. The most brilliant minds of Pandemonium had done several tests and experiments to try and discover if the cross-breeding was not only viable, but prudent according to Pandemonia's will. Shader had long ago hacked into those files in the ancient technological computers, and had commissioned Jenai to steal several of the files before they had all left for Eden. The findings had been extraordinarily promising. That was why the demon Queen had shut down the project.

A true devil-human hybrid could, hypothetically, create their own pheromones for breeding without needing the Devil Queen's own scent to start the process. Meaning that each one would be capable of being a Queen in their own right. Or a King, as odd as that sounded to her. They could gather any group of demons around them and literally start their own Hive if they so chose, letting any type of demon class breed by their pheromone scent. That was the primary reason Pandemonia had put a stop to the hybrid theory. A hybrid of any sort would be the fiercest competition.

They would indeed possess immunity to human religious idols of all sorts, just as Aion had hoped. And even some forms of demonic sorcery would be useless against them, such as mind altering, memory manipulations, soul anchoring, possession, puppetry, and even soul draining. No speculations had been done as to whether or not they would possess a soul, though. She gave a mental shrug. '_I guess we'll just find out when it happens.'_

They would be completely independent in their own right, not needing any sort of social structure to function. And while that didn't sound all that impressive, the implications of such a thing were staggering. Devils, for all their emotional detachment from each other, were still very much hive-and-swarm-like creatures, needing others around them on a subconscious level to function well. Humans were much the same way. If they were too long alone in the world, they would fall prey to severe depression, insomnia, paranoia, and eventually madness.

But a hybrid would need, literally, no one. They could be emotionally, psychically, and intellectually functional while completely alone for the majority of their lives. The only exceptions to the rule would be during the formative years of childhood for the sake of education, and breeding purposes.

Shader wondered about that. Such a person could easily decide that, since it needed no one, it could kill anyone and anything with impunity. It wouldn't need to feel guilt or loss at any level. She shuddered. If a hybrid were raised to be a killer, it would be a truly terrifying thing. All soldiers needed to feel some kind of loss when they killed, well, eventually they did, or they would go mad with bloodlust. Sometimes, that was all that brought a killer down. But a hybrid raised to not care about life, any life, would never have that crucial weakness.

Of course, this all was based very heavily on the theory of nature versus nurture. If the hybrid was raised to kill, it would be the perfect death machine, never feeling guilt or remorse of any kind. But if it had parents like Chrono and Rosette, Shader was willing to bet that nothing of the sort would come about. The demonic theories had all been based on the notion that a hybrid would be raised like a devil. But what if it was raised like a human? If it was taught to value life, to be like chrono and his young mate, what would happen then? Could the detachment theory be disproved? Would the hybrid come to need the lives of those around it, like it would need air and water and astral?

The young demon thought about that while her computers hummed away, their white noise surrounding her as she sat in her large stuffed swivel chair. She came to a decision, marveling that she should ever have such doubts about her leader, but knew that this was the wisest course of action. She would not tell Aion about this. Oh, she would tell him about the pheromone part of it all, he would be overjoyed at that part, but she would never tell him about the social detachment part of their mentality.

She sighed as she reworked the notations from the first recording of the astral from the young human girl. Oh, what she'd give for her old computer back in Pandemonium. Now there was a sweet bit of machinery. The first read-out came from her primitive computer and the demon quickly skimmed over the contents to see if her suspicion could be confirmed.

The results were slightly confusing, some of the astral spiking on this had to be some kind of glitch, but the overall conclusion was fairly obvious. She ran it through one more time to make sure of the results.

Briefly Shader wondered if maybe Rosette could even carry a true hybrid child. It could be a terrible strain on her system depending on how the fetus developed. There stood a good chance that since the mother was human, it should develop initially the same as a human child. Chrono's share of its biology would most likely show up later, probably as early as two or three months. Then there was that whole Apostle factor side of it. This really would be a delicate situation that would need careful monitoring.

The second set of results was spat out by the machine. The young cat demon felt a huge grin spread across her face, a happy squeal pouring out, all worrisome thoughts kicked out of her brain. She started jumping up and down in ecstatic joy, the paper clutched in her hand. "They're pregnant! They're pregnant! Chrono and Rosette are gonna have a baby!"

)&$&$

Chrono shot up from his spot on the bed, panting with sweat pouring off his body. He shook is head hard, trying to dispel the awful after-images of the nightmare from his mind. He glanced over to the side where his young wife laid, peacefully sleeping sprawled all over the bed. The young devil felt the same quiet smile that always came on his face when he looked at her like this.

It was still a little hard to believe. He and Rosette, the walking natural disaster, were married. He had never thought about marriage, considering it just as a curious human custom. But now he was married to his Contractor. Well, former contractor. A smile felt all the way to his heart split his face. Now that he had his horns back, he no longer drained her life away. They were no longer bound by her time of death looming over the horizon. It was a wonderful feeling of freedom.

He repositioned himself to spoon against her, one arm wrapping around her waist, his hand over her heart. Chrono couldn't help the twinge of sorrow at the memory of so much time that he'd already stolen from her. She truly wouldn't live past thirty. If only there was some way to give back what he'd taken from her. He briefly thought of asking the elder about that, if maybe he could figure something out with the watch, but quickly nixed the idea. To even attempt such a thing would need Shader's help, and there was no way in Heaven, Hell, or Eden that he'd let the cat demon anywhere near his wife. Where there was Shader, Aion wasn't far behind.

For one moment, he let himself remember in the waking world. He remembered the times before Mary had been possessed by Pandemonia, when he and Aion had been as brothers. When he had laughed and joked with Rizel, Shader, and even Jenai. When he and Veide had learned how to play poker solely to annoy the hell out of Jenai by getting better at it than him. A pang of longing came, to be like that again. To be surrounded by his own people again.

He was honest with himself enough to admit that if Aion was to sincerely change his ways tomorrow, he would seriously consider taking Rosette with him to Eden to live. The young devil sighed, holding his love closer to his heart. He breathed deeply of her scent, trying to forget for a moment.

Chrono paused at something in her scent. It was almost familiar, and he tried to remember where he'd smelt it before but drew a blank. He took several short sniffs, moving down from the juncture of her neck and shoulder to her stomach. The scent was clearer here, but he still couldn't quite catch the memory of what this meant—

The last time he'd caught a scent like this was right before Aion had come to the orphanage for Joshua. It had been a young woman, a few days after childbirth, giving the baby over to the caretakers since she couldn't support it. He wondered what on earth it was doing on Rosette as he closed his eyes and went deeper in the sheets to get back to sleep.

His eyes snapped open, his jaw dropping in disbelieving shock. He sniffed her again, just to make sure he wasn't loosing his mind. But the scent was now unmistakable.

She—

She—

Rosette was—

The part of him that would be a smart-ass until the day he died couldn't help but send out this thought. '_Oh, dear god, who up there in heaven would allowthe closest thingI've everseen to a living natural disasterto breed? Or should I direct that question to a lower source? Sister Kate certainly would.'_

_If she—I mean, we—are—pregnant, than—_

'_Drum roll, please,'_ the smart-ass chimed in—

_I'm going to be a father._

'_That's generally how it goes,'_ smart-ass said dryly.

_How did this happen?_

'_I think you know how it happened. If you don't, we could always go back to the Elder for that talk he was offering earlier.'_

_Oh, shut up, you_. He paused, confused. _Who are you anyway?_

'_I'm you, idiot. The part of you with more sense, that is. You know, you really should be making some plans here, instead of wasting your time arguing with me.'_

_For what?_

'_For breaking the news to, oh, I'd say, everyone. You might need some serious back-up on this. Think about it. Just telling Sister Kate is going to be interesting, to say nothing of Father Remington.'_

He nodded, _No kidding._ A sudden thought made him wince_. She'll have to go off of active duty, she can't be risking the baby's health._

'_And that's the bad part.'_

_How so? _

'_Hey, you know her best! Just how do you think Rosette Christopher is going to take being told that she can't be out in the field?'_

Chrono whimpered in horror.

(&)$

To his surprise, Remington and Kate took it rather well. He supposed that since they were married, it really took the edge off something like this. The doctor, St. Justice, was immediately called in to try and get it confirmed by making Rosette take a physical. He easily did so, confirming the good news by blood tests. In fact, the nun was three months pregnant.

St. Justice raised an eyebrow at the devil. "How did you not notice that she wasn't having her regular visits from the cardinal?"

(for those who don't know: since cardinals wear dark red robes, it was always a joke to use it as a euphanism for getting your monthly cycle)

"When you think something is scientifically impossible, you tend to dismiss things like that," he snapped back.

()&

The psychotic twitch of her eye was all the warning they got before all hell broke loose.

"Duck and cover!" The demon screamed, lunging back out of range.

The table flipped over in the chaos, volatile chemicals and half-finished parts spilling everywhere. Chrono cowered behind one of the unfinished inventions in the Elder's workshop as the nun went into berserker rage, screaming in denial. He glared over at Remington and Kate at their hiding spot behind the fallen table. "I wanted to tell her in the hospital, so if somebody got hurt, we'd be right there. But no! Someone thought we should get her away from people, and tell her in the _Elder's workshop_, a room filled with _hammers and sharp, pointy objects_," he growled. "Remington, you are an idiot!"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," the priest hissed back, wincing at the sound of something really expensive breaking. "Rosette, you aren't taking this very well," he called over the table. "Don't you think all this stress is bad for the baby?"

"How can you think about babies at a time like this!" She howled. "You're taking me off active duty! How'm I supposed to find Joshua now!"

KERASH!

Sister Kate winced at the sound, shuddering at the mental tally she was keeping of just how expensive this was getting. "Rosette, that it enough!" She shouted. "You will calm down right this instant, young lady!"

"Oh, blow it out your"—

"ROSETTE CHRISTOPHER!"

"Ear, dammit, I was going to say out your ear," she groused, finally out of ammo to throw. She sulked in the midst of the nearly destroyed room, kicking futilely at a spare part of some odd design. The young woman sniffed hard, feeling tears prick behind her eyes. "Why? Why is this happening?"

The demon rose from his protective spot, looking over at her and unable to hide the disappointment on his face. "Rosette? Are you really so unhappy about this?"

Her face went wide in horror. "Chrono, no! I'm happy about the baby," she paused, "in a terrified sort of way, but I mean"—she tried to gather her thoughts, sifting through the chaos of her mind to try to explain it to him—"there are just so many things that needed to be done. How can we get through it all now?"

He came over to her, taking a shaking hand in his own. "Together, like we do everything else," he said firmly. "You and I will make it through everything, and we'll do it with our child beside us."

She smiled up at him, melting into his embrace. "A child of our own. Can you believe this is really happening?"

"Yes," he said softly. "And I've never been so filled with hope."

"Time for us to go," Remington whispered to Kate. She nodded, as they slowly and silently crept out the door. They made sure to warn everyone away from the shed for a good long while, as the couple had a lot to discuss.

She cocked her head at him, her look curious. "Hope?"

"Just think about it," he said with awe. "Our child will be a real hybrid. A true mix of human and demon blood, not just a human born with legion in their system." His smile could have lit the blackest sky as he wrapped a protective arm around her waist so that his hand rested over the slight swell of her belly.

Rosette grinned. "I'm taking requests now on what it'll be. You want a boy or a girl?"

He seemed shocked at the idea. "Love, I don't care what it is! Just that its here now."

"Well, I want a boy," she said. "I want him to have your hair and your eyes."

"Oh, God, curse the kid why don't you," he smirked. "How about your eyes and your strength? And maybe Joshua's eyes."

She nodded sadly at that. "Do you think we can still find him like this? I mean, I don't think I'm going to be able to catch up to you if I have to run with a twenty pound gut in front of me."

He almost laughed, but remembered the elder's advice about not mentioning weight to a pregnant woman. "Don't worry, love, I'll fly you anywhere you need to go." He thought for a moment, weighing his thoughts in his head before he nodded. "Besides, I don't think we'll have to worry about tracking him or the Sinners down. Something tells me that when Aion finds out about this child, he may just come to see it for himself."

(&

Hope you all like it, please review!


	24. Sunlight Reflections

Thanks for your patience with me, you all. And can you believe it? nearly 800 reviews! How cool it that?

I don't own the devil, but I know he loves me! Er, yeah, rather, I don't own Chrono Crusade, but I do have dibs on Dr. St. Justice. Mine!

Chap: Sunlight reflections

Sunlight poured through the windows of the office, spreading warmth over the cold wood floors and furniture of the room. Sister Kate was attempting to write her biannual report of events for the European branch of the Order. The Abbess sat back in her chair and basked in the sun's light, letting her mind drift over the events of the last three months. So much had happened in that short amount of time.

The curse of the devil Taj-mere had been cast upon Rosette Chrostopher, a sister of the Magdalene Order, and her contracted demon, Chrono the Sinner. They had countered the curse and its effects by fulfilling the requirements before any true harm could be done. (She shuddered at the idea of the 'real harm' that had nearly occurred, as she glossed over the details of just how the couple had countered the curse. Those two were entitled to their privacy after all.)

Then there had been the first devil-human marriage in a holy church in recorded history. She smiled at the memory of how Rosette and Chrono had gaped at the lavish decorations and festivities that had gone on that happy day. The young devil in particular had been taken aback at just how happy everyone was for them.

Rosette was no longer under her contract, her life no longer leached away to fuel Chrono's attacks and healing. Both of them were overjoyed at this. Not to mention the wonderful fact that since Chrono could control his time-freeze attack again, the orphanage of Rosette's childhood had finally been pulled from its stasis and the children were awake and free.

Kate steepled her fingers at her next thoughts. Due to the active, she blushed, and rather numerous events of Rosette and Chrono's marital relations, they were now expecting their first child within the next six months. Rosette had been immediately taken off of active duty, and was now confined to researching the history of any demon-human hybrids, which Chrono claimed had never existed.

The babe should be born sometime in the early fall. This would require careful monitoring, not only for medical reasons, but for security ones as well. The Order had kept a tight lid on the news of the wedding, not wanting to attract any undue attention from religious fanatics or such. But the Abbess was well aware that something like this couldn't be kept a secret for long. Especially with the Sinners on the loose. Who knew what they would think of such news, or their reaction to it? Surely they would try to come after the baby.

Measures had already been implemented to insure Rosette's safety, unbeknownst to her or Chrono just yet. She wanted everything to be in place before letting the expecting couple know about this. Remington and the Elder were taking this quite seriously, setting up barriers and wards for over fifty miles in every direction. The militia was training harder than ever, and coming up with multiple strategies and defense plans should the Sinners attack in force.

But for now, Chrono and Rosette were given free reign over the abbey grounds. Kate felt a smirk pull at her lips. They would need all the alone time they could get before the baby was born.

)(&(&$&)

Sunlight was fading into twilight as the couple sat on the banks of the lake. It had been a gorgeous day, everything just beginning to bloom for spring. Rosette had begged to get out of the library and go do something on a day like this. The librarians had agreed, still very ticked off about the fire she'd started in there yesterday to try and see better with.

So he'd pack up some lunch and, after making sure to okay it with St. Justice, had flown her out to the lake for a day to themselves.

Rosette frowned down at her belly, pinching the skin of her waist and pulling it slightly. Chrono looked at her oddly. "Are you sure you should be doing that?"

"It's just so hard to believe," she said, still frowning at herself. "I wasn't sick or picky about my food or anything. Is he sure I'm pregnant?"

"Blood work doesn't lie," the devil replied. "Besides, St. Justice was so shocked at the results he sent it through twice. Believe it, you're pregnant." He slid his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest and breathing deep of her scent. "Besides, I can smell it on you."

She twisted in his arms so that she could rest her cheek against his chest. "I smell?"

He grinned. "Like life, Rosette. You smell like warmth and sunlight and _life_. I really can't describe it any better." He felt her blush through his shirt and set his cheek on the top of her head. "Are you happy?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "With the baby or something else? Be specific."

"Smart-alek," he muttered. "With all of it. You know, everything."

The sister thought for a long time, making Chrono worry a bit before she answered. "I'm still worried about Joshua, about the Sinners and what they want to do. But really? I think"—she frowned—"it seems selfish or something, but I think I really am happy." She looked up at him. "Are you? And be honest with me, Chrono."

"You think I would lie?"

"No. its just sometime I can tell that you're lonely, and I'm not enough to help it."

"Rosette"—

"Not like I think you'll cheat on me, you know I'd kill you for that, right?"

"I know, but"—

"Chrono, I just think that you miss them."

He went still at her words. "The Sinners, you mean."

"Yeah." She looked down, knowing that there are some things that are like a giant 'do not touch' button for people, and wondering if she was about to hit it with Chrono. "I know that they were like your family. And even though so many bad things happened with them, I know that you still miss them. Its okay, you know. They were all you had for a really long time."

He moved his head to tuck it into the crock of her neck. "Think you know me so well," he muttered, not unkindly. "I do miss them sometimes. We used to be so happy."

She kissed his ear in acknowledgement.

"But when I'm with you, I'm not lonely, Rosette. I just get lost in the memories sometimes. And I know," he reached down and put a hand protectively over the slight swell of her belly, "that I will have even more family with me soon. You are everything I've ever wanted, love, and now you're giving me a baby. You have no idea what this means to me. I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered. She closed her eyes for a moment to try and think of something else to talk about. Before she could, a yawn nearly cracked her jaw. '_I'll just take a quick nap, a really tiny one. I do need to stockpile all the sleep I can get before the baby comes. I won't….hardly get any…..both ways of it…..after….he's born…(yawn)…._'

Chrono hummed as he stretched out his arms, careful to lay Rosette on the blanket as he did so. He blinked hard to try and clear his vision. What he doing being sleepy? It was barely seven o' clock. The devil frowned at the fog that was rolling in from the forest. _'It shouldn't be coming from there. It always comes across the water for how the wind blows_.' He stiffened as he felt demonic aura near them. _'Sons of bitc'_—

"Sorry to call on you when its so late, Chrono, my dear," a merry voice rang out. "But we need to have a little talk with you about your lovely wife." A figure in a long white coat and cat ears in her short hair walked out of the mist. She grinned at him. "I hear you two are expecting!"

"Shader!" He near hissed. "What are you doing here? Is this your doing?" He sent a panicked glance at Rosette. Why wasn't she waking up!

"This fog, you mean? Oh don't worry, its harmless. Just some simple sleeping agents mixed with some of my own unique astral blockers. You both will be just fine when you wake up."

He stood on shaking legs, the gases already taking a disastrous affect. "Don't you dare touch my mate. I swear to god, I'll kill you, Shader."

She blinked her green eyes at him. "Why so hostile? I thought you'd want someone who's got a decent understanding of demon physiology to take care of her, not some human with theories."

"I'd rather take that chance than risk taking her to Aion, "he growled. He tried to form his armor, but as it was he could barely move his wings. The devil stared at the scientist. "How is this not affecting you too!"

She pointed to the sides of her head. "No horns, see? I've got a separate source of astral now. All of us do. And while this chat is fun, we really need to be heading back to Eden."

"You're not taking her anywhere," he snapped.

"She won't, but I will," a voice like velvet silk cut through. He tried to whirl around to face this new threat when a sharp blow to the side of his neck finally sent him unconscious.

"You didn't need to hit him so hard," Shader pouted. "We need him in one piece, you know."

"Blah, blah, blah," Rizel snapped. The spider demon hefted the larger devil over her shoulder as Shader began to carefully move the girl. "Why does he want both of them? Why not just his precious little girl?"

"Because," Shader said, a thread of steel showing in her voice, "these two may be the future of demon kind. Especially if we can't replicate their amazing results within a viable time frame. We need to run some serious tests before we can be sure."

)&$&()

Please review!


	25. Burning down the abbey

Hey guys! Hope you all like the chap! This is in response to those who asked how the devils had gotten away with kidnapping Chrono and Rosette without any of the defenses keeping them out.

Don't own Chrono Crusade, yada, yada, yada……….

Chap: Burning down the Abbey

The eastern half of the North American Order of the Magdalene was in utter panic.

Smoke and sounds of chaos filled the night sky, the glow of flames illuminating the countryside for miles around the Abbey. Fires raged throughout the complex, half the dormitories were already burned to ashes, and the chapel was in utter ruin. The remaining militia was still trying to rescue those still trapped under burning debris with some success, but it was slow going. They had been so ill prepared for this.

They had thought they'd have time. Time before the Sinners would find out about the baby. Time before the devils would scout them out. Time before Aion himself would dare to come down from the Sinners' haven of Eden for the Songstress of Vegas, blasting in and decimating their forces.

_How?_ Was the question on everyone's minds. _How had they known about the baby? How had they come so soon, without our suspecting? How did they get past the barriers and defenses without a scratch to show for it? **How in the hell had this happened!**_

A terrible mistake had been made. The Magdalene Order had vastly underestimated the technological capabilities of its foe. They had underestimated the amount of information the Sinners had collected on them. They had made the fatal error of believing they were invincible in their home territory.

It was later found just how the attack had taken place with such ease for the devils. The Sinner Rizel had come in first to the nearest town, possessing one of the priests of the village and bringing him to the first of the barriers. She had forced him to help disable the holy device, systematically wiping out the long-range defenses of the Abbey. Her victim had later been found roaming the countryside, driven insane. The demonic possession and subsequent pain of the burns from exposure to the barriers had been too much for him to withstand.

Other victims of her possession had been suspected, but most likely had either been killed by the demoness or had not survived the following attack.

Dinner was being held in the cafeteria, the girls giggling and chatting as they always did. The discussion had mostly been focused on Rosette's baby, and what they would choose as a name. The Elder had been in the process of taking bets on the baby's size, weight, amount of hair, gender, and day of arrival. He claimed it was to start the baby's college fund.

No one had thought that the demons would dare come to challenge them outright. No one had even suspected the barriers were down. No one had suspected they were about to be under attack.

The assault on the Abbey had been swift and horrific. The Sinner Viede had led the first attack, summoning several lesser demons and charging the courtyard. They had used bombs and grenades to send up thick smoke to mask their movements and hamper the humans as much as possible. The Sinner had cut through their formation like a scythe, using a massive war-hammer like a broom to clear a path. Then Viede had sent out his demons among the Militia, having them target the captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and majors. It was the simplest strategy, really. Take off the head of a snake and the body dies. Take out the leaders of an army, and the army will fall.

The Sinner Jenai had been a one-devil wrecking crew, targeting strategic areas of the abbey to destroy with his energy attacks. The armory had been the first to go, the explosive force of the ammunitions alone taking out half of the surrounding buildings. The shockwave of the blast had been so great that it nearly knocked the devil out of the sky. But he'd simply regained altitude, easily dodging the wild shots of the apprentices below him to come back around and with his next shot, take out the Elder's workshop. The resulting blast from that had taken out the dormitories completely. Poisonous energies had seeped from the remains, the various experiments and toxic chemicals making the area too dangerous to try and take cover in.

Jenai had been blown out of the sky by that blast, landing somewhere in the midst of the surrounding forest. He had charged right back into the fray several minutes later, energy cannons blazing like six-shooters as he tore through the Militia.

Remington had barely managed to mount a decent counter attack with the remaining fighting forces still alive after the initial encounter. They had sustained heavy losses in the first moments of the assault, but now were trying to establish a defensive position in the chapel.

The reason why the chapel? The last remaining barriers were there, and that is where Sister Kate had evacuated the apprentices and other non-combative personal. Especially Azmaira. Under no circumstances could the Sinners take her, the last free Apostle. If she was stolen away, the world would be lost!

St. Justice was already working on the latest cases of the injured. The Apostle had tried to sing to help the wounded that were being brought in, but had been stopped. The astral lines would betray her hiding place and lead them right to her. The child had insisted on going out and acting as a ransom for the abbey, that if the Sinners would leave, they could have her. Kate had quickly halted that plan by knocking her unconscious.

A horrific blast had shaken the whole abbey grounds from the impact of the chapel roof being torn off by the Sinner Veide. The girls within had screamed in terror at such impossible strength as the devil had lifted the roof and tossed it like a child's toy across the grounds. The debris raining down had scattered the girls from their defensive positions and with such heavy damage, had demolished the last working barriers in all the Magdalene Abbey. He had retreated after that, bowing in mid-flight to the devil that was approaching.

And then Aion himself had come down. In the midst of the smoke and the fires he had come walking in with a simple smile on his face. The hot winds of fire fanned out his white trench coat, riffling his long hair and for the first time Kate noticed the resemblance between him and Chrono. They could have passed for siblings. It was greatly disturbing.

Remington had lifted his energy sword up in a defensive position, ready to charge the devil, but another demon steeped in. Jenai was grinning from ear to ear, a terrifying look on his face. He slowly shook his finger at the priest, scolding him like a child. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. I wouldn't do that if I were you. You might take one of us down, but there's no way you could get us both. You'd be dead and all your little girls too."

He laughed derisively. "I swear, you must make out like a fiend here with all these cute girls around." His sharp teeth showed as he smiled. "You know, there's a limerick I think would suit you just fine. '_There once was a sultan from Idoume'_—"

"Now Jenai, we didn't come here just so you could make harem jokes," Aion cut in. "Forgive him, ladies, he's not been in polite company for some time and he's forgotten his manners."

He had actually sounded polite, damn that bastard. His golden eyes had glinted behind his wire-frame glasses as he spoke. "Greetings, noble fighters of the Order." He glanced over to where Azmaria laid, a slight smirk coming on his features as the apprentices still standing moved to try and protect her. "Have no fear; I have not come for the child just yet."

"Then why are you here?" Kate challenged.

"Ah, the Abbess. My apologies for the damage done here tonight, but we didn't want you out roaming around for a while yet." He tipped a non-existent hat to her with a mock bow as he turned to go. "We have already concluded our business with one of your sisters, and so we shall be going."

If he hadn't come for the Apostle, there was only one person left he would want—"Don't you dare touch Rosette! If you lay one finger on her, I will personally nail your demonic hide on my office door!" The abbess raged. "Have you no shame! You would attack a pregnant woman and unborn child!"

He glanced back over his shoulder at her. "My dear Abbess, we have no intention of harming them. They may just be the final element of my plan that I had never thought to conceive of. I assure you, neither Chrono, Rosette, or their child shall be harmed. On the contrary, they now have our complete protection."

He sent a cursory look at the unconscious Apostle. "Tell her not to fret. I know she'll miss her little friends, but she'll be joining them soon. I wonder how Joshua will take meeting her."

Remington tensed, every part of his being screaming at him to not let the devils go without a fight. But he held his place. The other Sinner was still primed to decimate the entire chapel if he didn't let them go without conflict. Jenai noticed his frustration and chuckled, casually flipping off the tall priest with both hands in sadistic glee.

With a dramatic flare of his coat, Aion morphed his black wings out of his back and took off into the night sky. He spoke a word and made two signs with his hands as he flew. With that, the demons that had fought in the courtyards and corridors disintegrated with hoarse scream as they burned into nothing more than smoky astral. His fellow Sinners followed after their leader, the smoke disguising their path.

Kate huffed an angry breath out her nose and spat in their direction. Without any of the Elder's inventions to help, they would have no way of tracking them. It would take months simply to restock the armory, let alone finish rebuilding all the damages done here tonight.

There would be no chance of mounting a rescue mission for a long time.

The sister hung her head. _Rosette, Chrono, I'm sorry._

)($&$(&&

Sorry, I know its short. Please review!


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